Digital, Reconfigurable Frequency and Delay Generator with Phase Measurement

ABSTRACT

A reconfigurable frequency and delay generator is disclosed, and a representative embodiment may include a phase sampler and plurality of configurable oscillator stages, each configurable oscillator stage of the plurality of configurable oscillator stages comprising: a plurality of core inverters coupled in series, a last core inverter of the plurality of core inverters generating an output signal having a configurable output frequency; and a plurality of delay control circuits, each delay control circuit of the plurality of delay control circuits coupled to an output of a corresponding core inverter of the plurality of core inverters.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention, in general, relates to phase-locked loops, andmore particularly, relates to a reconfigurable, digital phase-lockedloop which generates a frequency reference or delay with phase detectionor measurement and which is configurable or reconfigurable for a varietyof parameters and options.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Phase-locked loop (“PLL”) circuitry is used in frequency or clockingsignal generation typically to generate signals relative to an inputreference signal, such as a crystal oscillator, aninductive-capacititive (“LC”) oscillator, a resistive-capacititive(“RC”) oscillator or another type of relaxation oscillator. Thephase-locked loop circuitry adjusts the frequency of a PLL output signalbased on frequency and/or phase differences between the reference signaland the output signal. Based on any such difference, the frequencyand/or phase of the output signal is increased or decreased accordingly.Phase-locked loops are used in a wide range of electronics, such asradios, telecommunication circuits, wireless and mobile devices,computers, and other devices.

Many such PLLs are either not configurable or not reconfigurable, so aremore difficult to use with or within configurable or reconfigurablecircuitry such as field programmable gate arrays (“FPGAs”) or otherlogic circuitry. For example, such PLLs may not be configurable for awide frequency range (especially at comparatively high frequencies),desired jitter level or specification, fractional frequency generation,power usage or dissipation, oscillation quality (“Q”) factor, and so on,particularly while maintaining accuracy and avoiding frequency drift,including over fabrication process, voltage, and temperature (“PVT”)variations.

In addition, the circuit designs of many PLLs, such as those which maybe provided by a foundry to insert into the design of an integratedcircuit for a selected silicon fabrication process technology, have afixed IC layout (or floorplan). Such PLLs are provided as a “black box”design having a predetermined IC layout (or floorplan), a predeterminedIC layout aspect ratio, and predetermined IC locations for circuitryinputs and outputs, for example. As a result, these “black box” PLLscannot be readily inserted into any selected IC design withoutaccommodating this fixed floorplan and significantly affecting theoverall IC area and timing, and cannot be utilized independently of thesilicon fabrication process technology.

As a consequence, a need remains for a reconfigurable, digitalphase-locked loop which generates a frequency reference or delay withphase detection or measurement and which is configurable orreconfigurable for a variety of parameters and options, such asfrequency, bandwidth, frequency resolution, jitter level or scale, powerconsumption, and/or fractional frequencies, and various options, such asinclusion of an LC oscillator.

In addition, such a reconfigurable, digital PLL should be capable ofbeing provided as a circuitry netlist (generated using Verilog as an ICdesign tool, for example) or other comparable circuit specification, toproduce a reconfigurable, digital PLL having a selected, malleable orotherwise variable IC layout (or floorplan), rather than a fixed orpredetermined IC layout (or floorplan). Such a reconfigurable, digitalPLL should also be readily insertable into virtually any selected ICdesign with either no or comparatively minor modification.

Lastly, such a reconfigurable, digital PLL should provide for controlover output frequency, to provide a stable and desired frequency inresponse to variation in ambient or junction temperature or variation inother parameters such as voltage, fabrication process, frequency, andage.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The exemplary or representative embodiments of the present inventionprovide numerous advantages. Various representative embodiments providea reconfigurable, digital phase-locked loop which generates a frequencyreference or delay with phase detection or measurement and which isconfigurable or reconfigurable for a variety of parameters, such asfrequency, bandwidth, frequency resolution, jitter level or scale, powerconsumption, and/or fractional frequencies, and various options, such asinclusion of an LC oscillator.

Various representative embodiments of the reconfigurable, digitalphase-locked loop may be implemented as a circuitry netlist (generatedusing Verilog as an IC design tool, for example) or other comparablecircuit specification. Such an inventive circuitry netlist or othercomparable circuit specification of the representative embodiments canthen be combined with the standard cells (or standard digital gates) ofany selected silicon fabrication process technology (using suchavailable IC design tools), together with the balance of the ICcircuitry which is to utilize the reconfigurable, digital PLL, togenerate an overall GDSII file incorporating the reconfigurable, digitalPLL. This results in the reconfigurable, digital PLL embodiments havinga selected, malleable or otherwise variable IC layout (or floorplan),rather than a fixed or predetermined IC floorplan, and effectivelyenables a customized reconfigurable, digital PLL IC layout (orfloorplan) specifically tailored to the balance of the IC circuitrywhich is to utilize the reconfigurable, digital PLL. As a result, therepresentative embodiments of the reconfigurable, digital PLL arereadily insertable into virtually any selected IC design with either noor comparatively minor modification.

In addition, various representative embodiments of the reconfigurable,digital phase-locked loop may also be configured or reconfigured to beutilized with an LC (inductive and capacitive) oscillator (or LC tank),such as provided using an optional inductor, to provide an output signalhaving superior noise performance, phase noise reduction, a greaterfrequency range (particularly at higher frequencies) and overallsuperior power performance.

Various representative embodiments of the reconfigurable, digitalphase-locked loop are also compatible with a wide variety of referencesignal generators, including crystal oscillators, LC oscillators, RCoscillators, and other relaxation oscillators. Various representativeembodiments of a reconfigurable, digital phase-locked loop also providefor control over output frequency and phase, to provide a stable anddesired frequency and phase in response to variation in ambient orjunction temperature or variation in other parameters such as voltage,fabrication process, frequency, and age.

A reconfigurable, digital phase-locked loop integrated circuit isdisclosed which is coupleable to a reference frequency generator. Arepresentative embodiment of the reconfigurable, digital phase-lockedloop integrated circuit comprises: a memory storing a plurality ofconfiguration parameters, at least one configuration parameter of theplurality of configuration parameters specifying an output frequency; areconfigurable frequency and delay generator configurable andreconfigurable in response to the configuration parameters to generatean output signal having the output frequency; and a digital controllercoupled to the memory and to the reconfigurable frequency and delaygenerator, the digital controller further coupleable to receive an inputsignal from the reference frequency generator having a referencefrequency, the digital controller adapted to access the memory andretrieve the plurality of configuration parameters, and to generate aplurality of control signals to the reconfigurable frequency and delaygenerator both to generate the output signal having the output frequencyin response to the plurality of configuration parameters, and to match aphase of the output signal to an input signal phase.

A representative embodiment of the reconfigurable, digital phase-lockedloop integrated circuit, may further comprise: a user interfacecontroller coupled to the memory, the user interface controller adaptedto receive user input, convert the user input into the plurality ofconfiguration parameters, and to write the plurality of configurationparameters to the memory.

In a representative embodiment, the plurality of configurationparameters further comprise at least one configuration parameterselected from the group consisting of: bandwidth, frequency resolution,jitter level, power consumption, fractional frequencies, andcombinations thereof. In a representative embodiment, the reconfigurablephase-locked loop is configurable and reconfigurable post-fabrication asan integrated circuit.

In a representative embodiment, the reconfigurable frequency and delaygenerator, in its entirety, comprises: a first plurality of digitallogic gates synthesizable using a plurality of standard cells of aselected fabrication technology, and the digital controller, in itsentirety, comprises: a second plurality of digital logic gatessynthesizable using a plurality of standard cells of the selectedfabrication technology. Also in a representative embodiment, the digitalcontroller, in its entirety, comprises a fabrication process-independentdesign of a plurality of digital logic circuits.

In a representative embodiment, each control signal of the plurality ofcontrol signals may correspond to a coefficient of a plurality ofcoefficients of a control word.

In a representative embodiment, the reconfigurable frequency and delaygenerator comprises: a phase sampler; and a plurality of configurableoscillator stages coupled to the phase sampler, each configurableoscillator stage of the plurality of configurable oscillator stagesfurther comprising: at least one core inverter to form a plurality ofcore inverters coupled in series, a last core inverter of the pluralityof core inverters generating the output signal having the outputfrequency; and a plurality of delay control circuits, each delay controlcircuit of the plurality of delay control circuits coupled to an outputof a corresponding core inverter of the plurality of core inverters.

In a representative embodiment, each core inverter of the plurality ofcore inverters comprises a plurality of inverters having a differentialinverter circuit structure comprising: first and second nonconfigurableinverters coupled in parallel; and third and fourth configurableinverters cross-coupled to outputs of the first and secondnonconfigurable inverters.

In a representative embodiment, each delay control circuit of theplurality of delay control circuits further comprises: a plurality ofswitchable frequency control inverters coupled in parallel with thefirst and second nonconfigurable inverters; a plurality of primaryswitched capacitors coupled to the outputs of the first and secondnonconfigurable inverters; a plurality of secondary switched digitalvaractors coupled to the outputs of the first and second nonconfigurableinverters; and a plurality of voltage controllers, each voltagecontroller of the plurality of voltage controllers coupled to provide aselected voltage to a corresponding secondary switched digital varactorof the plurality of secondary switched digital varactors.

In a representative embodiment, the plurality of switchable frequencycontrol inverters comprise a plurality of transistors having a pluralityof different sizes to provide a corresponding plurality of differentdelays. Also in a representative embodiment, the plurality of switchablefrequency control inverters comprise a plurality of transistors having adifferential inverter circuit structure.

In a representative embodiment, each primary switched capacitor of theplurality of primary switched capacitors comprises: a transmission gate;and a FET transistor having its gate coupled to the transmission gateand further having its source and drain coupled to a ground potential.

In a representative embodiment, each secondary switched digital varactorof the plurality of secondary switched digital varactors comprises: atransmission gate; and a FET transistor having its gate coupled to thetransmission gate and further having its source and drain coupled to theselected voltage.

In a representative embodiment, each voltage controller of the pluralityof voltage controllers comprises: a plurality of transistors coupled inseries to form a voltage ladder circuit structure having a plurality ofnodes, each node of the plurality of nodes having a different voltage;and a plurality of transmission gates, each transmission gate of theplurality of transmission gates coupled to a secondary switched digitalvaractor and to a selected node of the plurality of nodes to transmitthe selected voltage to the secondary switched digital varactor inresponse to a plurality of control signals.

Also in a representative embodiment, the phase sampler comprises aplurality of flip-flops, each flip-flop input coupled to an output of acorresponding core inverter of the plurality of core inverters, eachflip-flop output generating a single bit indicator of a position of thephase of the output signal along the plurality of configurableoscillator stages.

In a representative embodiment, a number of oscillator stages areselectable to form the plurality of configurable oscillator stages inresponse to the plurality of configuration parameters. For example, arepresentative embodiment may further comprise: a plurality of switchingcircuits coupled to the plurality of configurable oscillator stages toselect a predetermined number of oscillator stages to form a ringoscillator circuit structure or a delay line circuit structure inresponse to the plurality of configuration parameters. Also in arepresentative embodiment, the plurality of configurable oscillatorstages are configurable to form a ring oscillator or a delay line inresponse to the plurality of configuration parameters. For example, arepresentative embodiment may further comprise: a plurality of switchingcircuits coupled to the plurality of configurable oscillator stages toselectively configure the plurality of configurable oscillator stages asa ring oscillator circuit structure and a delay line circuit structurein response to the plurality of configuration parameters.

In a representative embodiment, the reconfigurable frequency and delaygenerator may further comprise: a phase interpolator coupled between theplurality of configurable oscillator stages and the phase sampler. In arepresentative embodiment, the phase interpolator comprises at least oneinverter tree coupled between and among the plurality of configurableoscillator stages, the at least one inverter tree comprising: a firstplurality of interpolator inverters, the first plurality of interpolatorinverters coupled to a plurality of outputs of the plurality of coreinverters; and a second plurality of interpolator inverters, the secondplurality of interpolator inverters coupled to outputs of the firstplurality of interpolator inverters to provide a plurality of phaseinterpolator outputs.

In another representative embodiment, the phase interpolator comprises aplurality of configurable interpolator stages, the plurality ofconfigurable interpolator stages comprising: a first interpolator stage;a first multiplexer coupled to the first interpolator stage, the firstmultiplexer comprising a first plurality of switches to selectivelycouple the first interpolator stage to the plurality of configurableoscillator stages in response to a configuration parameter; a secondinterpolator stage; and a second multiplexer coupled to the secondinterpolator stage, the second multiplexer comprising a second pluralityof switches to selectively couple the second interpolator stage to thefirst interpolator stage in response to a configuration parameter.

In a representative embodiment, the digital controller comprises: abinary encoder coupled to a phase sampler, the binary encoder adapted togenerate a first binary count corresponding to positional phaseinformation provided by the phase sampler; a gray code counter coupledto receive the output signal and generate a gray code count representingthe output frequency; a gray code sampler adapted to sample the graycode count; a gray code-to-binary converter adapted to generate a secondbinary count from the gray code count; and an adder adapted to combinethe second binary count with the first binary count to provide acombined binary representation of the frequency and phase of the outputsignal.

In a representative embodiment, the adder is further adapted toconcatenate the second binary count in higher significant bit positionswith the first binary count in lower bit positions of the combinedbinary representation of the frequency and phase of the output signal.In another representative embodiment, the adder is further adapted toadd the second binary count with the first binary count to provide thecombined binary representation of the frequency and phase of the outputsignal.

In a representative embodiment, the gray code counter is clocked by theoutput signal, and all other circuits of the digital controller areclocked by the reference frequency.

In a representative embodiment, the digital controller furthercomprises: an error correction circuit coupled to the gray code sampler,the error correction circuit adapted to determine an error conditionwhen more than one bit has changed between successive gray code samplesof a plurality of gray code samples.

In another representative embodiment, the digital controller furthercomprises: a gray code register coupled to the gray code counter tostore a plurality of successive gray code samples. In a representativeembodiment, the gray code counter and the gray code register are clockedby the output signal, and all other circuits of the digital controllerare clocked by the reference frequency. In a representative embodiment,the gray code register is written to at the output signal frequency andread from at the reference frequency.

In a representative embodiment, the digital controller furthercomprises: a reference counter circuit coupled to receive the inputsignal and provide a third binary count of the reference frequency; aprogrammable multiplier circuit coupled to the reference counter tomultiply the third binary count by a selected multiplicand to generate amultiplied reference frequency count; a comparator circuit coupled tothe programmable multiplier and to the adder, the comparator circuitadapted to compare the combined binary representation with themultiplied reference frequency count and generate a corresponding firsterror signal; and a programmable digital filter coupled to thecomparator circuit to convert the first error signal into the pluralityof control signals.

In a representative embodiment, the programmable multiplier circuitmultiplies the third binary count by a selected integer multiplicand togenerate the multiplied reference frequency count. In anotherrepresentative embodiment, the programmable multiplier circuitmultiplies the third binary count by a selected non-integer multiplicandto generate the multiplied reference frequency count.

In a representative embodiment, the programmable digital filtercomprises: a configurable filter to receive the first error signal andto generate a second error signal using one or more gain stages; and amemory storing one or more gain coefficients for the configurablefilter. In a representative embodiment, the programmable digital filterfurther comprises: one or more configurable gain stages, eachconfigurable gain stage implementing a corresponding gain coefficient ofthe one or more gain coefficients. For example, the one or moreconfigurable gain stages implement a linear digital filter selected fromthe group consisting of: H(z)=K_(P); H(z)=K_(P)+K_(I)/(1−z⁻¹);H(z)=K₀+K₁/(1−z⁻¹)+K₂/(1−z⁻²); H(z)=K₀+K₁z⁻¹; H(z)=K₀+K₁z¹+K₂z⁻²; andcombinations thereof.

In a representative embodiment, the second error signal comprises aplurality of coefficients forming a control word, each coefficientcorresponding to a control signal of the plurality of control signalsprovided on a signaling bus to the oscillator. In another representativeembodiment, the programmable digital filter further comprises: acoefficient generator coupled to the configurable filter and adapted togenerate a plurality of coefficients forming a control word, eachcoefficient corresponding to a control signal of the plurality ofcontrol signals provided on a signaling bus to the oscillator.

In a representative embodiment, the programmable digital filtercomprises: a configurable filter to receive the first error signal andto generate a second error signal using one or more gain stages; andwherein the memory further stores one or more gain coefficients for theconfigurable filter.

A representative embodiment of the reconfigurable, digital phase-lockedloop integrated circuit may further comprise a plurality of capacitivetuning circuits. For such a representative embodiment, thereconfigurable phase-locked loop is further coupleable to an inductor toform an LC oscillator circuit.

Another representative embodiment of a reconfigurable, digitalphase-locked loop integrated circuit coupleable to a reference frequencygenerator is disclosed, comprising: a user interface controller adaptedto receive user input and to convert the user input into a plurality ofconfiguration parameters, at least one configuration parameter of theplurality of configuration parameters specifying an output frequency; amemory coupled to the user interface controller to store the pluralityof configuration parameters; a reconfigurable frequency and delaygenerator configurable and reconfigurable in response to theconfiguration parameters to generate an output signal having the outputfrequency; and a digital controller coupled to the memory and to thereconfigurable frequency and delay generator, the digital controllerfurther coupleable to receive an input signal from the referencefrequency generator having a reference frequency, the digital controlleradapted to detect the frequency and phase of the output signal, toaccess the memory and retrieve the plurality of configurationparameters, and to generate a plurality of control signals to thereconfigurable frequency and delay generator, in response to both theplurality of configuration parameters and the detected frequency andphase of the output signal, to generate the output signal having theoutput frequency and to match a phase of the output signal to an inputsignal phase.

In a representative embodiment, the integrated circuit, in its entirety,comprises: a plurality of digital logic gates synthesizable using aplurality of standard cells of a selected fabrication technology; andone or more memory circuits or registers.

Another representative embodiment of a reconfigurable, digitalphase-locked loop integrated circuit coupleable to a reference frequencygenerator is disclosed, with the reconfigurable phase-locked loopintegrated circuit configurable and reconfigurable post-fabrication, andwith the reconfigurable phase-locked loop integrated circuit comprising:a memory storing a plurality of configuration parameters, wherein theplurality of configuration parameters comprise at least twoconfiguration parameters selected from the group consisting of: outputfrequency, bandwidth, frequency resolution, jitter level, powerconsumption, fractional frequencies, and combinations thereof; areconfigurable frequency and delay generator configurable andreconfigurable in response to the configuration parameters to generatean output signal having the output frequency; and a digital controllercoupled to the memory and to the reconfigurable frequency and delaygenerator, the digital controller further coupleable to receive an inputsignal from the reference frequency generator having a referencefrequency, the digital controller adapted to detect the frequency andphase of the output signal, to access the memory and retrieve theplurality of configuration parameters, and to generate a plurality ofcontrol signals to the reconfigurable frequency and delay generator, inresponse to both the plurality of configuration parameters and thedetected frequency and phase of the output signal, to generate theoutput signal having the output frequency and to match a phase of theoutput signal to an input signal phase; wherein the reconfigurablefrequency and delay generator and the digital controller comprise aplurality of digital logic gates synthesizable in their entireties usinga plurality of standard cells of a selected fabrication technology.

A representative embodiment of reconfigurable frequency and delaygenerator is disclosed, comprising: a plurality of configurableoscillator stages, each configurable oscillator stage of the pluralityof configurable oscillator stages comprising: (1) a plurality of coreinverters coupled in series, a last core inverter of the plurality ofcore inverters generating an output signal having a configurable outputfrequency; and (2) a plurality of delay control circuits, each delaycontrol circuit of the plurality of delay control circuits coupled to anoutput of a corresponding core inverter of the plurality of coreinverters; and a phase sampler coupled to the plurality of configurableoscillator stages.

The reconfigurable frequency and delay generator also may furthercomprise: a memory storing a plurality of configuration parameters, atleast one configuration parameter of the plurality of configurationparameters specifying the output frequency; and a user interfacecontroller coupled to the memory, the user interface controller adaptedto receive user input, convert the user input into the plurality ofconfiguration parameters, and to write the plurality of configurationparameters to the memory.

In a representative embodiment, the reconfigurable frequency and delaygenerator is configurable and reconfigurable post-fabrication as anintegrated circuit.

Another representative embodiment of a reconfigurable frequency anddelay generator is disclosed, comprising: a memory storing a pluralityof configuration parameters, at least one configuration parameter of theplurality of configuration parameters specifying an output frequency; aplurality of configurable oscillator stages, each configurableoscillator stage of the plurality of configurable oscillator stagescomprising: (1) a plurality of core inverters coupled in series, a lastcore inverter of the plurality of core inverters generating an outputsignal having the output frequency; and (2) a plurality of delay controlcircuits, each delay control circuit of the plurality of delay controlcircuits coupled to an output of a corresponding core inverter of theplurality of core inverters; a phase sampler coupled to the plurality ofconfigurable oscillator stages; and a plurality of switching circuitscoupled to the plurality of configurable oscillator stages toselectively configure the plurality of configurable oscillator stages asa ring oscillator circuit structure and a delay line circuit structurein response to the plurality of configuration parameters.

Another representative embodiment of a reconfigurable frequency anddelay generator is disclosed, comprising: a plurality of configurableoscillator stages, each configurable oscillator stage of the pluralityof configurable oscillator stages comprising: (1) a plurality of coreinverters coupled in series, a last core inverter of the plurality ofcore inverters generating an output signal having a configurable outputfrequency, each core inverter of the plurality of core inverterscomprising: first and second nonconfigurable inverters coupled inparallel; and third and fourth configurable inverters cross-coupled tooutputs of the first and second nonconfigurable inverters; and (2) aplurality of delay control circuits, each delay control circuit of theplurality of delay control circuits coupled to an output of acorresponding core inverter of the plurality of core inverters, eachdelay control circuit of the plurality of delay control circuitscomprising: a plurality of switchable frequency control inverterscoupled in parallel with the first and second nonconfigurable inverters;a plurality of primary switched capacitors coupled to the outputs of thefirst and second nonconfigurable inverters; a plurality of secondaryswitched digital varactors coupled to the outputs of the first andsecond nonconfigurable inverters; and a plurality of voltagecontrollers, each voltage controller of the plurality of voltagecontrollers coupled to provide a selected voltage to a correspondingsecondary switched digital varactor of the plurality of secondaryswitched digital varactors.

A representative embodiment of a digital control loop circuit is alsodisclosed which is coupleable to an oscillator to form a configurable,digital phase-locked loop to generate an output signal having aconfigurable or selectable output frequency, with the digital controlloop circuit further coupleable to a reference frequency generator. Arepresentative embodiment of a digital control loop circuit comprises: amemory storing a plurality of configuration parameters, at least oneconfiguration parameter of the plurality of configuration parametersspecifying the output frequency; and a digital controller coupled to thememory and coupleable to the oscillator, the digital controller furthercoupleable to receive an input signal from the reference frequencygenerator having a reference frequency, the digital controller adaptedto access the memory and retrieve the plurality of configurationparameters, and to generate a plurality of control signals to theoscillator both to generate the output signal having the outputfrequency in response to the plurality of configuration parameters, andto match a phase of the output signal to an input signal phase.

Such a digital control loop circuit may further comprise any of thevarious components described above for any of the other representativeembodiments of the reconfigurable, digital phase-locked loop integratedcircuit, or various components of the reconfigurable frequency and delaygenerator.

In a representative embodiment of the digital control loop circuit, thedigital controller may be further adapted to detect the frequency andphase of the output signal, and to generate the plurality of controlsignals in response to both the plurality of configuration parametersand the detected frequency and phase of the output signal. For example,for such a representative embodiment, the digital controller may furthercomprise: a frequency and phase detector to detect the frequency andphase of the output signal, the frequency and phase detector comprises:a phase sampler; a binary encoder coupled to the phase sampler, thebinary encoder adapted to generate a first binary count corresponding topositional phase information provided by the phase sampler; and a graycode counter coupled to receive the output signal and generate a graycode count representing the output frequency.

A representative embodiment of a fabrication process-independent digitalcontrol loop circuit is also disclosed which is coupleable to anoscillator to form a configurable, digital phase-locked loop to generatean output signal having a configurable or selectable output frequency,with the digital control loop circuit further coupleable to a referencefrequency generator, comprising: a user interface controller adapted toreceive user input and to convert the user input into a plurality ofconfiguration parameters, at least one configuration parameter of theplurality of configuration parameters specifying the output frequency; amemory coupled to the user interface controller to store the pluralityof configuration parameters; and a digital controller coupled to thememory and coupleable to the oscillator, the digital controller furthercoupleable receive an input signal from the reference frequencygenerator having a reference frequency, the digital controller adaptedto detect the frequency and phase of the output signal, to access thememory and retrieve the plurality of configuration parameters, and togenerate a plurality of control signals to the oscillator, in responseto both the plurality of configuration parameters and the detectedfrequency and phase of the output signal, to generate the output signalhaving the output frequency and to match a phase of the output signal toan input signal phase.

Another representative embodiment of a digital control loop circuit isdisclosed which is coupleable to an oscillator to form a configurable,digital phase-locked loop to generate an output signal having aconfigurable or selectable output frequency, the digital control loopcircuit further coupleable to a reference frequency generator, therepresentative embodiment of the digital control loop circuitcomprising: a memory storing a plurality of configuration parameters,wherein the plurality of configuration parameters comprise at least twoconfiguration parameters selected from the group consisting of: outputfrequency, bandwidth, frequency resolution, jitter level, powerconsumption, fractional frequencies, and combinations thereof; a digitalcontroller coupled to the memory and coupleable to the oscillator, thedigital controller further coupleable to receive an input signal fromthe reference frequency generator having a reference frequency, thedigital controller comprising a plurality of digital logic gatessynthesizable in their entireties using a plurality of standard cells ofa selected fabrication technology, the digital controller adapted todetect the frequency and phase of the output signal, to access thememory and retrieve the plurality of configuration parameters, and togenerate a plurality of control signals to the reconfigurable analogcore circuit, in response to both the plurality of configurationparameters and the detected frequency and phase of the output signal, togenerate the output signal having the output frequency and to match aphase of the output signal to an input signal phase.

Another representative embodiment of a digital control loop circuit isdisclosed which is coupleable to an oscillator to form a configurable,digital phase-locked loop to generate an output signal having an outputfrequency, the digital control loop circuit further coupleable to areference frequency generator, with the representative embodiment of thedigital control loop circuit comprising: a phase sampler adapted togenerate positional phase information; a binary encoder coupled to thephase sampler, the binary encoder adapted to generate a first binarycount corresponding to positional phase information provided by thephase sampler; a gray code counter coupled to receive the output signaland generate a gray code count representing the output frequency; a graycode sampler adapted to sample the gray code count; a graycode-to-binary converter adapted to generate a second binary count fromthe gray code count; an adder adapted to combine the second binary countwith the first binary count to provide a combined binary representationof the frequency and phase of the output signal; a reference countercircuit coupled to receive an input signal having a reference frequencyfrom the reference frequency generator and provide a third binary countof the reference frequency; a programmable multiplier circuit coupled tothe reference counter to multiply the third binary count by a selectedmultiplicand to generate a multiplied reference frequency count; acomparator circuit coupled to the programmable multiplier and to theadder, the comparator circuit adapted to compare the combined binaryrepresentation with the multiplied reference frequency count andgenerate a corresponding first error signal; and a programmable digitalfilter coupled to the comparator circuit to convert the first errorsignal into a plurality of control signals to the oscillator, togenerate the output signal having the output frequency and to match aphase of the output signal to an input signal phase.

A representative embodiment of a reconfigurable phase-locked loopintegrated circuit is disclosed which is coupleable to a referencefrequency generator and further coupleable to an inductor, withrepresentative embodiment of the reconfigurable phase-locked loopintegrated circuit comprising: a memory storing a plurality ofconfiguration parameters, at least one configuration parameter of theplurality of configuration parameters specifying a selected outputfrequency; a plurality of capacitive tuning circuits coupleable to theinductor to form an LC oscillator circuit to generate a first outputsignal having a first output frequency; a reconfigurable frequency anddelay generator configurable and reconfigurable in response to theplurality of configuration parameters to configure as a ring oscillatoror as a delay line circuit, and to generate a second output signalhaving a second output frequency; and a first digital controller coupledto the reconfigurable frequency and delay generator and to the pluralityof capacitive tuning circuits, the first digital controller furthercoupleable to receive an input signal from the reference frequencygenerator having a reference frequency, the first digital controlleradapted to access the memory and retrieve the plurality of configurationparameters; when the reconfigurable frequency and delay generator isconfigured as the ring oscillator, to generate a first plurality ofcontrol signals to the reconfigurable frequency and delay generator bothto generate the second output signal having the second output frequencyin response to the plurality of configuration parameters, and to match aphase of the second output signal to an input signal phase; and when thereconfigurable frequency and delay generator is configured as the delayline circuit, to generate a second plurality of control signals to theplurality of capacitive tuning circuits both to generate the firstoutput signal having the first output frequency in response to theplurality of configuration parameters, and to match a phase of the firstoutput signal to the input signal phase.

In such a representative embodiment, the reconfigurable frequency anddelay generator comprises: a first phase sampler; and a plurality ofconfigurable oscillator stages coupled to the first phase sampler, eachconfigurable oscillator stage of the plurality of configurableoscillator stages further comprising: at least one core inverter to forma plurality of core inverters coupled in series, a last core inverter ofthe plurality of core inverters generating the second output signalhaving the second output frequency; and a first plurality of delaycontrol circuits, each delay control circuit of the first plurality ofdelay control circuits coupled to an output of a corresponding coreinverter of the plurality of core inverters.

Such a representative embodiment of a reconfigurable phase-locked loopintegrated circuit may further comprise: a first multiplexer of aplurality of multiplexers, the first multiplexer coupled to an output ofa last configurable oscillator stage of the plurality of configurableoscillator stages, the first multiplexer to selectively couple the lastoutput of the last configurable oscillator stage to an input of a firstconfigurable oscillator stage of the plurality of configurableoscillator stages to form the ring oscillator circuit structure inresponse to the plurality of configuration parameters. In arepresentative embodiment, the first multiplexer is further coupled toan output of the LC oscillator circuit, the first multiplexer further toselectively couple the output of the LC oscillator circuit to the inputof the first configurable oscillator stage to form the delay linecircuit structure in response to the plurality of configurationparameters.

Such a representative embodiment of a reconfigurable phase-locked loopintegrated circuit may further comprise: a second multiplexer of theplurality of multiplexers, the second multiplexer coupled to the outputof the last configurable oscillator stage, the second multiplexer toselectively couple the last output of the last configurable oscillatorstage to an output of the reconfigurable phase-locked loop to providethe second output signal having the selected output frequency. In arepresentative embodiment, the second multiplexer is further coupled tothe output of the LC oscillator circuit, the second multiplexer toselectively couple the output of the LC oscillator circuit to the outputof the reconfigurable phase-locked loop to provide the first outputsignal having the selected output frequency.

Such a representative embodiment of a reconfigurable phase-locked loopintegrated circuit may further comprise: a second digital controllercoupled to the reconfigurable frequency and delay generator, the seconddigital controller adapted, when the reconfigurable frequency and delaygenerator is configured as the delay line circuit, to generate a thirdplurality of control signals to the plurality of configurable oscillatorstages to match the phase of the second output signal to the phase ofthe first output signal.

Such a representative embodiment of a reconfigurable phase-locked loopintegrated circuit may further comprise: a third multiplexer coupled tothe first digital controller and to the second digital controller, thethird multiplexer to selectively couple either the output of the seconddigital controller or the output of the first digital controller to theplurality of delay control circuits, in response to the plurality ofconfiguration parameters.

Such a representative embodiment of a reconfigurable phase-locked loopintegrated circuit may further comprise: a second phase sampler coupledto the second digital controller and to the plurality of configurableoscillator stages.

In such a representative embodiment, the second digital controller maycomprise: a binary encoder coupled to the second phase sampler, thebinary encoder adapted to generate a second binary count correspondingto positional phase information provided by the second phase sampler;and an accumulator to add and accumulate successive second binary countsgenerated by the binary encoder.

In such a representative embodiment, the output of the accumulatorcomprises a plurality of coefficients forming a control word, eachcoefficient corresponding to a control signal of the plurality ofcontrol signals provided on a signaling bus to the plurality of delaycontrol circuits.

In another such a representative embodiment, the second digitalcontroller may further comprise: a coefficient generator coupled to theaccumulator and adapted to generate a plurality of coefficients forminga control word, each coefficient corresponding to a control signal ofthe plurality of control signals provided on a signaling bus to theplurality of delay control circuits.

Such a representative embodiment of a reconfigurable phase-locked loopintegrated circuit may further comprise: a fourth switch coupled to thefirst digital controller to selectively couple the output of the firstdigital controller to the plurality of capacitive tuning circuits, inresponse to the plurality of configuration parameters.

In a representative embodiment, the plurality of capacitive tuningcircuits comprises: a plurality of primary switched capacitorscoupleable to the inductor; a plurality of secondary switched digitalvaractors coupleable to the inductor; and a plurality of voltagecontrollers, each voltage controller of the plurality of voltagecontrollers coupled to provide a selected voltage to a correspondingsecondary switched digital varactor of the plurality of secondaryswitched digital varactors. Also in a representative embodiment, eachprimary switched capacitor of the plurality of primary switchedcapacitors comprises: a transmission gate; and a FET transistor havingits gate coupled to the transmission gate and further having its sourceand drain coupled to a ground potential; and wherein each secondaryswitched digital varactor of the plurality of secondary switched digitalvaractors comprises: a transmission gate; and a FET transistor havingits gate coupled to the transmission gate and further having its sourceand drain coupled to the selected voltage. Also in a representativeembodiment, each voltage controller of the plurality of voltagecontrollers comprises: a plurality of transistors coupled in series toform a voltage ladder circuit structure having a plurality of nodes,each node of the plurality of nodes having a different voltage; and aplurality of transmission gates, each transmission gate of the pluralityof transmission gates coupled to a secondary switched digital varactorand to a selected node of the plurality of nodes to transmit theselected voltage to the secondary switched digital varactor in responseto the first plurality of control signals.

Another representative embodiment of a reconfigurable phase-locked loopintegrated circuit is disclosed which is coupleable to a referencefrequency generator and further coupleable to an inductor, with therepresentative embodiment of the reconfigurable phase-locked loopintegrated circuit comprising: a user interface controller adapted toreceive user input and convert the user input into a plurality ofconfiguration parameters, at least one configuration parameter of theplurality of configuration parameters specifying a selected outputfrequency; a memory storing the plurality of configuration parameters; aplurality of capacitive tuning circuits coupleable to the inductor toform an LC oscillator circuit to generate a first output signal having afirst output frequency; a plurality of multiplexers; a reconfigurablefrequency and delay generator configurable and reconfigurable inresponse to the plurality of configuration parameters to configure as aring oscillator or as a delay line circuit, and to generate a secondoutput signal having a second output frequency; and a first digitalcontroller coupled to the reconfigurable frequency and delay generatorand to the plurality of capacitive tuning circuits, the first digitalcontroller further coupleable to receive an input signal from thereference frequency generator having a reference frequency, the firstdigital controller adapted to access the memory and retrieve theplurality of configuration parameters; when the reconfigurable frequencyand delay generator is configured as the ring oscillator, to generate afirst plurality of control signals to the reconfigurable frequency anddelay generator both to generate the second output signal having thesecond output frequency in response to the plurality of configurationparameters, and to match a phase of the second output signal to an inputsignal phase; and when the reconfigurable frequency and delay generatoris configured as the delay line circuit, to generate a second pluralityof control signals to the plurality of capacitive tuning circuits bothto generate the first output signal having the first output frequency inresponse to the plurality of configuration parameters, and to match aphase of the first output signal to the input signal phase.

Another representative embodiment of a reconfigurable phase-locked loopintegrated circuit is disclosed which is coupleable to a referencefrequency generator and further coupleable to an inductor, with therepresentative embodiment of the reconfigurable phase-locked loopintegrated circuit comprising: a user interface controller; a memorycircuit to store a plurality of configuration parameters; a plurality ofcapacitive tuning circuits coupleable to the inductor to form an LCoscillator circuit to generate a first signal; a first plurality ofconfigurable oscillator stages, each configurable oscillator stage ofthe first plurality of configurable oscillator stages furthercomprising: (1) at least one core inverter to form a plurality of coreinverters coupled in series, the plurality of core inverters including afirst core inverter and a last core inverter, the last core invertergenerating a second signal; and (2) a first plurality of delay controlcircuits, each delay control circuit of the first plurality of delaycontrol circuits coupled to an output of a corresponding core inverterof the plurality of core inverters; a first phase sampler coupled to theplurality of configurable oscillator stages; a first multiplexer coupledto the LC oscillator circuit and to the first core inverter, the firstmultiplexer to select the first signal or the second signal as the inputof the first core inverter, in response to the plurality ofconfiguration parameters; a second multiplexer coupled to the LCoscillator circuit and to the last core inverter, the second multiplexerto select the first signal or the second signal as the output signal, inresponse to the plurality of configuration parameters; a first digitalcontroller coupled to receive a reference input signal from thereference frequency generator having a reference frequency, the firstdigital controller adapted to generate a plurality of control signals tothe plurality of capacitive tuning circuits or to the plurality of delaycontrol circuits to generate the selected output frequency and to matcha phase of the output signal to a phase of the reference input signal; asecond digital controller; a third multiplexer coupled to the firstdigital controller and to the second digital controller, the thirdmultiplexer to selectively couple the output of the first digitalcontroller or the second digital controller to the plurality of delaycontrol circuits, in response to the plurality of configurationparameters; and a fourth switch to selectively couple the output of thefirst digital controller to the plurality of capacitive tuning circuitsin response to the plurality of configuration parameters.

A representative embodiment of a reconfigurable, cascaded digitalphase-locked loop integrated circuit is also disclosed which iscoupleable to a reference frequency generator to generate an inputsignal having a reference frequency, the cascaded digital phase-lockedloop integrated circuit comprising: a first digital phase-locked loopcircuit configured to generate a first signal having a first frequencywhich is an integer multiple of the reference frequency; and a seconddigital phase-locked loop circuit coupled to the first digitalphase-locked loop, the second digital phase-locked loop configured togenerate a second, output signal having a second output frequency inresponse to a plurality of configuration parameters, the secondfrequency having a configurable fractional offset from the integermultiple of the reference frequency, and to match a phase of the secondoutput signal with a first signal phase.

In such a representative embodiment, the second digital phase-lockedloop circuit is further configured to generate a configurable errorsignal to generate the second output signal having the second outputfrequency in response to the plurality of configuration parameters. Forexample, the second digital phase-locked loop circuit may be furtherconfigured to generate a configurable error signal in response to theplurality of configuration parameters, and to use the configurable errorsignal in a feedback error signal to generate the second output signalhaving the second output frequency.

The representative embodiment of the reconfigurable, cascaded digitalphase-locked loop integrated circuit may further comprise: a memorystoring the plurality of configuration parameters, at least oneconfiguration parameter of the plurality of configuration parametersspecifying the second output frequency.

In a representative embodiment, the first digital phase-locked loopcircuit comprises: a first reconfigurable frequency and delay generatorconfigurable and reconfigurable in response to the configurationparameters to generate the first signal having the first frequency; anda first digital controller coupled to the memory and to the firstreconfigurable frequency and delay generator, the digital controllerfurther coupleable to receive an input signal from the referencefrequency generator having a reference frequency, the first digitalcontroller adapted to access the memory and retrieve the plurality ofconfiguration parameters, and to generate a first plurality of controlsignals to the first reconfigurable frequency and delay generator bothto generate the first signal having the first frequency in response tothe plurality of configuration parameters, and to match a phase of thefirst signal to an input signal phase.

In a representative embodiment, the second digital phase-locked loopcircuit comprises: a second reconfigurable frequency and delay generatorconfigurable and reconfigurable in response to the configurationparameters to generate the second output signal having the second outputfrequency; and a second digital controller coupled to the memory, to thefirst reconfigurable frequency and delay generator and to the secondreconfigurable frequency and delay generator, the second digitalcontroller configured to access the memory and retrieve the plurality ofconfiguration parameters, the second digital controller furtherconfigured to generate a configurable error signal in response to aplurality of configuration parameters, to add the configurable errorsignal into a feedback error signal to generate a second plurality ofcontrol signals to the second reconfigurable frequency and delaygenerator to provide the second output signal having the second outputfrequency and to match a phase of the second output signal to a firstsignal phase

In such a representative embodiment, the second digital controllercomprises: a divider to receive the second output signal; a phasedetector coupled to the divider and to the first reconfigurablefrequency and delay generator, the phase detector adapted to generate afirst error signal from the difference between the phase of the dividedsecond output signal and the first signal; an adder to add theconfigurable error signal to the first error signal to generate thefeedback error signal; and a digital loop filter to convert the feedbackerror signal into the second plurality of control signals.

Another representative embodiment of a reconfigurable, cascaded digitalphase-locked loop integrated circuit is also disclosed which iscoupleable to a reference frequency generator to generate an inputsignal having a reference frequency, the reconfigurable, cascadeddigital phase-locked loop integrated circuit comprising: a userinterface controller adapted to receive user input and to convert theuser input into a plurality of configuration parameters; a memorycoupled to the user interface controller, the memory storing theplurality of configuration parameters, at least one configurationparameter of the plurality of configuration parameters specifying anoutput frequency; a first digital phase-locked loop configured togenerate a first signal having a first frequency which is an integermultiple of the reference frequency; and a second digital phase-lockedloop coupled to the first digital phase-locked loop, the second digitalphase-locked loop adapted to generate a configurable error signal inresponse to the plurality of configuration parameters, and to add theconfigurable error signal into a feedback error signal to generate asecond output signal having a second output frequency, the second outputfrequency having a configurable fractional offset from the integermultiple of the reference frequency, and to match a phase of the secondoutput signal with a first signal phase.

Another representative embodiment of a reconfigurable, cascaded digitalphase-locked loop integrated circuit is disclosed which is coupleable toan oscillator to receive an input signal having a first frequency whichis an integer multiple of a reference frequency, the reconfigurable,cascaded digital phase-locked loop integrated circuit comprising: a userinterface controller adapted to receive user input and to convert theuser input into a plurality of configuration parameters; a memorycoupled to the user interface controller, the memory storing theplurality of configuration parameters, at least one configurationparameter of the plurality of configuration parameters specifying anoutput frequency; a plurality of configurable oscillator stages, eachconfigurable oscillator stage of the plurality of configurableoscillator stages further comprising: (1) a plurality of core inverterscoupled in series, a last core inverter of the plurality of coreinverters generating an output signal having a second frequency; and (2)a plurality of delay control circuits, each delay control circuit of thefirst plurality of delay control circuits coupled to an output of acorresponding core inverter of the plurality of core inverters; and adigital controller coupled to the plurality of delay control circuitsand coupleable to the oscillator to receive the input signal having thefirst frequency, the digital controller configured to access the memoryand retrieve the plurality of configuration parameters, the digitalcontroller further configured to generate a configurable error signal inresponse to the plurality of configuration parameters, to add theconfigurable error signal into a feedback error signal to generate aplurality of control signals to the plurality of delay control circuitsto provide the output signal having the second frequency and to match aphase of the output signal to an input signal phase, the secondfrequency having a configurable fractional offset from the integermultiple of the reference frequency.

Another representative embodiment of a reconfigurable phase-locked loopis disclosed which is coupleable to a reference frequency generator,comprising: a user interface controller; a memory circuit to store aplurality of configuration parameters, the plurality of configurationparameters comprising a plurality of coefficients corresponding to aplurality of selectable, predetermined second error signals; a firstreconfigurable frequency and delay generator comprising: a firstplurality of core inverters coupled in series, a last core inverter ofthe first plurality of core inverters generating a first signal having afirst selected frequency; and a first plurality of delay controlcircuits, each delay control circuit of the first plurality of delaycontrol circuits coupled to an output of a corresponding core inverterof the plurality of core inverters; a second reconfigurable frequencyand delay generator comprising: a second plurality of core inverterscoupled in series, a last core inverter of the plurality of coreinverters generating a second output signal having a second selectedoutput frequency; and a second plurality of delay control circuits, eachdelay control circuit of the second plurality of delay control circuitscoupled to an output of a corresponding core inverter of the secondplurality of core inverters; a first digital controller coupleable tothe reference frequency generator to receive a reference input signalhaving a reference frequency and further coupled to the first pluralityof delay control circuits, the first digital controller adapted togenerate a first plurality of control signals to the first plurality ofdelay control circuits to generate the first signal having the firstselected frequency and to match a phase of the first signal to a phaseof the reference input signal, the first selected frequency being aninteger multiple of the reference frequency; and a second digitalcontroller coupled to the last core inverter of the first plurality ofcore inverters to receive the first signal having the first selectedfrequency, the second digital controller adapted to generate a firsterror signal from the difference between the phase of a divided secondoutput signal and the first signal; to select and add to the first errorsignal a predetermined second error signal of the plurality ofselectable, predetermined second error signals to generate a feedbackerror signal, to convert the feedback error signal to a second pluralityof control signals to the second plurality of delay control circuits togenerate the second output signal having the second selected outputfrequency and to match a phase of the second output signal to a phase ofthe first signal, the second selected output frequency having apredetermined fractional offset from the integer multiple of thereference frequency.

Numerous other advantages and features of the present invention willbecome readily apparent from the following detailed description of theinvention and the embodiments thereof, from the claims and from theaccompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The objects, features and advantages of the present invention will bemore readily appreciated upon reference to the following disclosure whenconsidered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein likereference numerals are used to identify identical components in thevarious views, and wherein reference numerals with alphabetic charactersare utilized to identify additional types, instantiations or variationsof a selected component embodiment in the various views, in which:

FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating an exemplary or representativeembodiment of a first reconfigurable, digital phase-locked loop.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating an exemplary or representativeembodiment of a second reconfigurable, digital phase-locked loop.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram illustrating an exemplary or representativeembodiment of a third reconfigurable, digital phase-locked loop.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram illustrating exemplary or representativeembodiments of a first digital controller and a first reconfigurablefrequency and delay generator with phase detection (or measurement) forthe first, second or third reconfigurable, digital phase-locked loops.

FIG. 5 is a block diagram illustrating in greater detail an exemplary orrepresentative embodiment of a first and/or second reconfigurablefrequency and delay generator with phase detection (or measurement), ina first circuit version or alternative, for the first and/or secondreconfigurable, digital phase-locked loops.

FIG. 6 is a block diagram illustrating in greater detail an exemplary orrepresentative embodiment of a first and/or second reconfigurablefrequency and delay generators with phase detection (or measurement), ina second circuit version or alternative, for the third reconfigurable,digital phase-locked loop.

FIG. 7 is a block diagram illustrating in greater detail an exemplary orrepresentative embodiment of a first and/or second reconfigurablefrequency and delay generators with phase detection (or measurement), ina third circuit version or alternative, for the first, second or thirdreconfigurable, digital phase-locked loops.

FIG. 8 is a block diagram illustrating in greater detail an exemplary orrepresentative embodiment of an oscillator stage and an exemplary orrepresentative embodiment of delay control circuits, of thereconfigurable oscillator or delay line of the first and/or secondreconfigurable frequency and delay generators with phase detection (ormeasurement) for the first, second or third reconfigurable, digitalphase-locked loops.

FIG. 9 is a block diagram illustrating in greater detail an exemplary orrepresentative embodiment of a cross-coupled differential core inverterstage and a plurality of configurable frequency control inverters forthe oscillator stages of the first and/or second reconfigurablefrequency and delay generators with phase detection (or measurement) forthe first, second or third reconfigurable, digital phase-locked loops.

FIG. 10 is a circuit diagram illustrating in greater detail an exemplaryor representative embodiment of an inverter for a cross-coupleddifferential core inverter stage.

FIG. 11 is a circuit diagram illustrating in greater detail an exemplaryor representative embodiment of a first configurable frequency controlinverter.

FIG. 12 is a circuit diagram illustrating in greater detail an exemplaryor representative embodiment of a second configurable frequency controlinverter.

FIG. 13 is a circuit diagram illustrating in greater detail an exemplaryor representative embodiment of a third configurable frequency controlinverter.

FIG. 14 is a block and circuit diagram illustrating in greater detail anexemplary or representative embodiment of a primary switched capacitorfor the first and/or second reconfigurable frequency and delaygenerators with phase detection (or measurement) and for the capacitivetuning circuits for the first, second or third reconfigurable, digitalphase-locked loops.

FIG. 15 is a circuit diagram illustrating in greater detail an exemplaryor representative embodiment of a transmission gate for use in theprimary switched capacitors and secondary switched digital varactors forthe first and/or second reconfigurable frequency and delay generatorswith phase detection (or measurement) and for the capacitive tuningcircuits for the first, second or third reconfigurable, digitalphase-locked loops.

FIG. 16 is a block and circuit diagram illustrating in greater detailexemplary or representative embodiments of a voltage controller and thesecondary switched digital varactors for the first and/or secondreconfigurable frequency and delay generators with phase detection (ormeasurement) and for the capacitive tuning circuits for the first,second or third reconfigurable, digital phase-locked loops.

FIG. 17 is a circuit diagram illustrating in greater detail an exemplaryor representative first embodiment of optional LC (inductive andcapacitive) oscillator circuitry for the third reconfigurable, digitalphase-locked loop.

FIG. 18 is a circuit diagram illustrating in greater detail an exemplaryor representative second embodiment of optional LC (inductive andcapacitive) oscillator circuitry for the third reconfigurable, digitalphase-locked loop.

FIG. 19 is a block diagram illustrating an exemplary or representativeembodiment of the capacitive tuning circuits for the optional LC(inductive and capacitive) oscillator circuitry for the thirdreconfigurable, digital phase-locked loop.

FIG. 20 is a block diagram illustrating in greater detail an exemplaryor representative embodiment of a plurality of oscillator stages in aring oscillator circuit structure and an exemplary or representativeembodiment of a phase sampler of the first and/or second reconfigurablefrequency and delay generators with phase detection (or measurement) forthe first or second reconfigurable, digital phase-locked loops.

FIG. 21 is a block diagram illustrating in greater detail an exemplaryor representative embodiment of a plurality of oscillator stages in adelay line (or delay locked loop) circuit structure and an exemplary orrepresentative embodiment of a phase sampler of the first and/or secondreconfigurable frequency and delay generators with phase detection (ormeasurement) for the third reconfigurable, digital phase-locked loop.

FIG. 22 is a block diagram illustrating in greater detail an exemplaryor representative embodiment of a configurable or reconfigurable phaseinterpolator of the first and/or second reconfigurable frequency anddelay generators with phase detection (or measurement) for the first,second or third reconfigurable, digital phase-locked loops.

FIG. 23 is a block diagram illustrating in greater detail an exemplaryor representative embodiment of a non-configurable or non-reconfigurablephase interpolator of the first and/or second reconfigurable frequencyand delay generators with phase detection (or measurement) for thefirst, second or third reconfigurable, digital phase-locked loops.

FIG. 24 is a block diagram illustrating in greater detail an exemplaryor representative second interpolator stage for the various embodimentsof a configurable or non-configurable phase interpolator of the firstand/or second reconfigurable frequency and delay generators with phasedetection (or measurement) for the first, second or thirdreconfigurable, digital phase-locked loops.

FIG. 25 is a block diagram illustrating in greater detail an exemplaryor representative embodiment of a programmable digital filter with afirst configurable filter for the first digital controller for thefirst, second or third reconfigurable, digital phase-locked loops.

FIG. 26 is a block diagram illustrating in greater detail an exemplaryor representative second configurable filter of a programmable digitalfilter for the first digital controller for the first, second or thirdreconfigurable, digital phase-locked loops.

FIG. 27 is a block diagram illustrating in greater detail an exemplaryor representative third configurable filter of a programmable digitalfilter for the first digital controller for the first, second or thirdreconfigurable, digital phase-locked loops.

FIG. 28 is a block diagram illustrating in greater detail an exemplaryor representative fourth configurable filter of a programmable digitalfilter for the first digital controller for the first, second or thirdreconfigurable, digital phase-locked loops.

FIG. 29 is a block diagram illustrating in greater detail an exemplaryor representative fifth configurable filter of a programmable digitalfilter for the first digital controller for the first, second or thirdreconfigurable, digital phase-locked loops.

FIG. 30 is a block diagram illustrating in greater detail an exemplaryor representative sixth configurable filter of a programmable digitalfilter for the first digital controller for the first, second or thirdreconfigurable, digital phase-locked loops.

FIG. 31 is a block diagram illustrating in greater detail an exemplaryor representative second embodiment of a configurable or reconfigurableoscillator of the first reconfigurable frequency and delay generatorwith phase detection (or measurement) (and/or second reconfigurablefrequency and delay generator with phase detection (or measurement)) forthe first, second or third reconfigurable, digital phase-locked loops.

FIG. 32 is a block diagram illustrating in greater detail an exemplaryor representative third embodiment of a configurable or reconfigurableoscillator of the first reconfigurable frequency and delay generatorwith phase detection (or measurement) (and/or second reconfigurablefrequency and delay generator with phase detection (or measurement)) forthe first, second or third reconfigurable, digital phase-locked loops.

FIG. 33 is a block diagram illustrating an exemplary or representativeembodiment of a second digital controller for the second reconfigurable,digital phase-locked loop.

FIG. 34 is a block diagram illustrating an exemplary or representativeembodiment of a third digital controller for the third reconfigurable,digital phase-locked loop.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF REPRESENTATIVE EMBODIMENTS

While the present invention is susceptible of embodiment in manydifferent forms, there are shown in the drawings and will be describedherein in detail specific exemplary embodiments thereof, with theunderstanding that the present disclosure is to be considered as anexemplification of the principles of the invention and is not intendedto limit the invention to the specific embodiments illustrated. In thisrespect, before explaining at least one embodiment consistent with thepresent invention in detail, it is to be understood that the inventionis not limited in its application to the details of construction and tothe arrangements of components set forth above and below, illustrated inthe drawings, or as described in the examples. Methods and apparatusesconsistent with the present invention are capable of other embodimentsand of being practiced and carried out in various ways. Also, it is tobe understood that the phraseology and terminology employed herein, aswell as the abstract included below, are for the purposes of descriptionand should not be regarded as limiting.

As mentioned above, various representative embodiments provide a first,second and third reconfigurable, digital phase-locked loops 100, 200,300 which generate a frequency reference or delay with phase detectionor measurement and which are configurable or reconfigurable for avariety of parameters and various options, such as (1) the desiredfrequency f_(OUT) of the output signal; (2) bandwidth (for noisesuppression); (3) frequency accuracy or Q value; (4) frequencyresolution (frequency increments, such as the minimum capacitance valuesand minimum voltage increments for tuning the frequency); (5) number ofstages; (6) jitter level or scale (phase increments for phase locking);(7) power consumption; and/or (8) fractional frequency selection, forexample and without limitation.

Various representative embodiments of the first, second and thirdreconfigurable, digital phase-locked loops 100, 200, 300 may beimplemented as a circuitry netlist (generated using Verilog as an ICdesign tool, for example) or other comparable circuit specification.Such an inventive circuitry netlist or other comparable circuitspecification of the representative embodiments can then be combinedwith the standard cells (or standard digital gates) of any selectedsilicon fabrication process technology (using such available IC designtools), together with the balance of the IC circuitry which is toutilize the first, second and/or third reconfigurable, digitalphase-locked loops 100, 200, 300, to generate an overall GDSII fileincorporating the first, second and/or third reconfigurable, digitalphase-locked loops 100, 200, 300. This results in the first, second andthird reconfigurable, digital phase-locked loops 100, 200, 300embodiments having a selected, malleable or otherwise variable IC layout(or floorplan), rather than a fixed or predetermined IC floorplan, andeffectively enables a customized reconfigurable, digital PLL IC layout(or floorplan) specifically tailored to the balance of the IC circuitrywhich is to utilize the first, second and/or third reconfigurable,digital phase-locked loops 100, 200, 300. As a result, therepresentative embodiments of the first, second and thirdreconfigurable, digital phase-locked loops 100, 200, 300 are readilyinsertable into virtually any selected IC design with either no orcomparatively minor modification.

Various representative embodiments of the first, second and thirdreconfigurable, digital phase-locked loops 100, 200, 300 are alsocompatible with a wide variety of reference signal generators, includingcrystal oscillators, LC oscillators, RC oscillators, and otherrelaxation oscillators. Various representative embodiments of the first,second and third reconfigurable, digital phase-locked loops 100, 200,300 also provide for control over output frequency and phase, to providea stable and desired frequency and phase in response to variation inambient or junction temperature or variation in other parameters such asvoltage, fabrication process, frequency, and age.

The first, second and third reconfigurable, digital phase-locked loops100, 200, 300 thereby provide considerable flexibility to changemultiple parameter specifications, with minimal if any changes tohardware. As a result, the first, second and third reconfigurable,digital phase-locked loops 100, 200, 300 are not tied to specificapplications and are not fixed by any given set of specifications.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating an exemplary or representativeembodiment of a first reconfigurable, digital phase-locked loop (PLL)100. It should be noted that while referred to herein as digital (ordigitally-controlled) phase-locked loops (e.g., “Omni PLL™”), the first,second and third reconfigurable, digital PLLs 100, 200, 300 may bereferred to equivalently and without a loss of generality asreconfigurable, digital oscillators, or as reconfigurable, digitalclocks or clock references, or as reconfigurable, digital PLL, clock orclock reference cell libraries, all for example and without limitation.

As mentioned above, a first embodiment of a reconfigurable, digitalphase-locked loop 100 comprises a first digital controller 105, a firstreconfigurable frequency and delay generator with phase detection (ormeasurement) 110, an optional user interface controller 115, and amemory 120 or other registers to store parameters and other user inputfor configuration and reconfiguration of the reconfigurable, digital PLL100. The user interface controller 115 may be optional for a selectedembodiment. While the memory 120 (or other registers) to storeparameters and other user input for configuration and reconfiguration ofthe reconfigurable, digital PLL 100 is illustrated as part of the userinterface controller 115, those have skill in the art will recognizethat any such memory 120 may be separate from the (optional) userinterface controller 115, and all such variations are within the scopeof the disclosure. For ease of reference and discussion, the firstand/or second reconfigurable frequency and delay generators with phasedetection (or measurement) 110, 140 may be referred to more simply andabbreviated as “first and/or second reconfigurable frequency and delaygenerators” 110, 140, it being understood that any such reference meansand includes the phase detection and/or measurement capabilities. Asdiscussed in greater detail below, there are several different versionsor alternative circuit configurations for the first and/or secondreconfigurable frequency and delay generators 110, 140, any and all ofwhich are within the scope of this disclosure.

It should be noted that the first digital controller 105 (and also thesecond and third digital controllers 135, 145) may also be referred toequivalently as a “digital control loop circuit”, as each suchcontroller (105, 135, 145) is or provides a digital control loop circuitthat is coupleable to virtually any oscillator to form a configurable,digital phase-locked loop.

As illustrated, a reference frequency (“f_(REF)”, from a reference clock(or oscillator) 95, such as a crystal oscillator or an LC oscillator(e.g., an LC tank), for example and without limitation) is input intothe first digital controller 105 and the first reconfigurable frequencyand delay generator 110, and the first reconfigurable frequency anddelay generator 110 provides or generates an output signal (on line orbus 127) which oscillates at the desired or selectable frequency(“f_(OUT)” (or “f_(OUT1)”)), as illustrated. Also as illustrated,feedback of frequency and phase information, as described in greaterdetail below, is provided to the first digital controller 105 from thefirst reconfigurable frequency and delay generator 110, typically via afirst (feedback) bus 130 or other communication lines or wires. Inaddition, frequency and phase control is provided to the firstreconfigurable frequency and delay generator 110 from the first digitalcontroller 105, typically in the form of control signals (e.g., as afiltered error signal), also referred to herein as one or more controlwords, via a second (control) bus 125. As discussed in greater detailbelow, these control signals are typically high or low voltages,corresponding to or which may be represented by binary coefficientvalues of one or more control words. Each of these components, andvarious embodiments of these components, are also described in greaterdetail below.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating an exemplary or representativeembodiment of a second reconfigurable, digital phase-locked loop 200,which is used to provide a fractional output signal, i.e., an outputsignal at a fractional offset, increment or multiple of the inputreference frequency. As mentioned above, the second embodiment of areconfigurable, digital phase-locked loop 200 also comprises a firstdigital controller 105, a first reconfigurable frequency and delaygenerator 110, an optional user interface controller 115, and a memory120 or other registers to store parameters and other user input forconfiguration and reconfiguration of the reconfigurable, digitalphase-locked loop 200, and further comprises a second digital controller135 and a second reconfigurable frequency and delay generator 140. Asdiscussed in greater detail below, there are several different versionsor alternative circuit configurations for the second reconfigurablefrequency and delay generator 140, any and all of which are within thescope of this disclosure. As illustrated, the reference frequency(f_(REF)) is also input into the first digital controller 105 and thefirst reconfigurable frequency and delay generator 110, and isadditionally input into the second digital controller 135 and the secondreconfigurable frequency and delay generator 140.

For the second reconfigurable, digital phase-locked loop 200, the firstreconfigurable frequency and delay generator 110 also generates a firstoutput signal having output frequency f_(OUT1), precisely as describedabove with reference to the first reconfigurable, digital phase-lockedloop 100, output on line or bus 127 and provided to the second digitalcontroller 135. The second reconfigurable frequency and delay generator140 provides or generates the overall or second output signal having thedesired or selectable (fractional) frequency (f_(OUT2)), which is afractional offset from an integer multiple of the reference frequency,as illustrated, on line or bus 129. Also as illustrated, feedback offrequency and phase information, as described in greater detail below,is also provided to the first digital controller 105 from the firstreconfigurable frequency and delay generator 110, typically via a first(feedback) bus 130 or other communication lines or wires. In addition,frequency and phase control is provided to the first reconfigurablefrequency and delay generator 110 from the first digital controller 105,typically in the form of control word signals, via a second (control)bus 125.

For the second reconfigurable, digital phase-locked loop 200, feedbackof frequency and phase information, as described in greater detailbelow, is also provided to the second digital controller 135 from thesecond reconfigurable frequency and delay generator 140, typically via athird (feedback) bus 150 or other communication lines or wires. Inaddition, frequency and phase control is provided to the secondreconfigurable frequency and delay generator 140 from the second digitalcontroller 135, also typically in the form of control signals (e.g., asan error signal, as a control word, etc.), via a fourth (control) bus245. Each of these components, and various embodiments, is described ingreater detail below.

It should be noted that for the second reconfigurable, digitalphase-locked loop 200, in a representative embodiment, the secondreconfigurable frequency and delay generator 140 may be implementedidentically or similarly to the first reconfigurable frequency and delaygenerator 110, in any of the variations or alternative circuitconfigurations. Also in a representative embodiment, the second digitalcontroller 135 is generally not identical or substantially similar tothe first digital controller 105, and instead has different circuitstructures, along with different control and feedback mechanisms. Inanother representative embodiment, the second digital controller 135 maybe implemented identically to the first digital controller 105, but withthe addition of a second configurable error signal (650), as discussedin greater detail below.

Various configurations are also provided to the first and/or seconddigital controllers 105, 135 and the first and/or second reconfigurablefrequency and delay generators 110, 140 (via bus 123), which may be inthe form of configuration parameters input by a user either into theuser interface controller 115 or directly into the memory 120. In turn,the user interface controller 115 also may transform the inputconfiguration parameters into other forms (e.g., digital filtercoefficients) and store the transformed configuration parameters in thememory 120. The various configuration parameters are then distributed toselected components (e.g., via lines or bus 123), as discussed ingreater detail below, such as for the selection of various availablecircuit configurations and for the selection of other parameters such asjitter levels, as selection signals, control signals, or filtercoefficients, for example and without limitation. The variousconfiguration parameters may also be utilized by the first and/or seconddigital controllers 105, 135 in generation of the various controlsignals, such as a configurable error signal for fractional outputfrequencies. Accordingly, the configuration parameters may providecontrol directly, or indirectly through the various control signals orselection signals. Accordingly, any reference to “in response to one ormore control signals” may also mean and include “in response to one ormore control signals and/or configuration parameters” or “in response toone or more configuration parameters” or “in response to one or morecontrol signals which are in response to one or more configurationparameters”, as indicated by the context, and all such variations arewithin the scope of the disclosure.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram illustrating an exemplary or representativeembodiment of a third reconfigurable, digital phase-locked loop 300. Afirst embodiment of a reconfigurable, digital phase-locked loop 300 alsocomprises a first digital controller 105, a first (or second)reconfigurable frequency and delay generator 110, 140, an optional userinterface controller 115, and a memory 120 or other registers to storeparameters and other user input for configuration and reconfiguration ofthe reconfigurable, digital PLL 300. As mentioned above, there areseveral different versions or alternative circuit configurations for thefirst and/or second reconfigurable frequency and delay generator 110,140, any and all of which are within the scope of this disclosure.

The third reconfigurable, digital phase-locked loop 300 differs from thefirst and second reconfigurable, digital phase-locked loops 100, 200 andfurther comprises an LC (inductive and capacitive) oscillator 275, and athird digital controller 145. As illustrated for the thirdreconfigurable, digital phase-locked loop 300, a reference frequency(“f_(REF)”, from a reference clock (or oscillator) 95, such as a crystaloscillator or an LC oscillator (e.g., an LC tank), for example andwithout limitation) is also input into the first digital controller 105and the first reconfigurable frequency and delay generator 110. For thethird reconfigurable, digital phase-locked loop 300, the firstreconfigurable frequency and delay generator 110 is coupled to receivethe output signal having output frequency f_(our) from the LC oscillator275 (on line or bus 133), and the first reconfigurable frequency anddelay generator 110 is configured (or reconfigured) to operate as adelay line 190 circuit configuration (or delay locked loop, rather thana ring oscillator circuit configuration), synchronizing and locking infrequency and phase to the LC oscillator 275, and further generatingincremental and/or interpolated phase information pertaining to the LCoscillator 275 which would otherwise be unavailable from the LCoscillator 275. The LC oscillator 275 provides or generates an outputsignal (on line or bus 137) which oscillates at the desired orselectable frequency (“f_(OUT)” or “f_(OUT1)”), as illustrated.

Not separately illustrated, the third reconfigurable, digitalphase-locked loop 300 may also be utilized in the second reconfigurable,digital phase-locked loop 200, directly replacing or substituting forthe configuration of the first digital controller 105 and firstreconfigurable frequency and delay generator 110 illustrated in FIG. 2.For such an embodiment, the output of the LC oscillator 275 (as“f_(OUT1)”) on line or bus 137 is provided to the second digitalcontroller 135, and the second reconfigurable frequency and delaygenerator 140 generates an output signal having the fractional offsetfrequency f_(OUT2), as discussed above.

Also as illustrated in FIG. 3, feedback of frequency and phaseinformation, as described in greater detail below, is provided from thefirst reconfigurable frequency and delay generator 110 to the firstdigital controller 105 and to the third digital controller 145,typically via first (feedback) bus 130 and fifth (feedback) bus 131,respectively, or other communication lines or wires. In addition,frequency and phase control is provided to the LC oscillator 275 fromthe first digital controller 105, typically in the form of controlsignals (e.g., as control words or as a filtered error signal), alsoreferred to herein as one or more control words, via a second (control)bus 125. In addition, phase control is provided to the firstreconfigurable frequency and delay generator 110 (configured (orreconfigured) to operate as a delay line or delay locked loop) from thethird digital controller 145, typically in the form of control signals(e.g., as control words or a filtered error signal), also referred toherein as one or more control words, via a sixth (control) bus 126. Asdiscussed in greater detail below, these control signals are alsotypically high or low voltages, corresponding to or which may berepresented by binary coefficient values of one or more control words.Each of these components, and various embodiments of these components,are also described in greater detail below. Various configurations arealso provided to the first digital controller 105 and the firstreconfigurable frequency and delay generator 110 (via bus 123), whichmay be in the form of configuration parameters input by a user eitherinto the user interface controller 115 or directly into the memory 120,as discussed above.

As mentioned above, for the first, second and third reconfigurable,digital phase-locked loops 100, 200, 300, the (optional) user interfacecontroller 115 and/or memory 120 provides for user input of any of awide variety of selectable configuration parameters, such as selectionof frequency, bandwidth, frequency resolution, jitter level or scale,power consumption, noise suppression, and/or fractional frequencies,which are then used for the configuration and/or reconfiguration of thefirst, second and third reconfigurable, digital phase-locked loops 100,200, 300. Depending on the selected embodiment, a memory 120 or otherregisters or information storage devices may also be included andgenerally is included to store these various parameters and other userinput. The configuration parameters may be input directly into thememory 120 or into the user interface controller 115. Such user inputmay occur at any time, depending upon the selected embodiment, such asby setting the various selectable configuration parameters duringfabrication (e.g., setting parameters stored in memory 120 or otherregisters), or post-fabrication or post-packaging (e.g., during acalibration process), or during use, such as for configuration and/orreconfiguration of the selectable configuration parameters forfrequency, bandwidth, frequency resolution, jitter level or scale, powerconsumption, noise suppression, and/or fractional frequencies, alsosetting and storing the various selectable configuration parameters inmemory 120 or other registers.

Other configuration parameters are also input, and as mentioned above,are utilized for selection of circuit configurations, such as the numberof oscillator stages (270), the configuration for use of the LCcircuitry as a third reconfigurable, digital phase-locked loop 300, theselection of various multiplexers, the use and configuration of thephase interpolator (165), and so on.

In addition, the first, second and third reconfigurable, digitalphase-locked loops 100, 200, 300 generate and provide as an output adesired or selectable frequency, f_(OUT), which may be either an integeror fractional multiple or division of the input reference frequencyf_(REF), which is typically generated by another form of referencefrequency generator, such as a crystal oscillator, a free-running LCoscillator, and so on.

Significantly, and as discussed in greater detail below, the firstdigital controller 105 (and also the second and third digitalcontrollers 135, 145) can be implemented to be both timing independentand process independent, and can be provided as a circuit netlistwithout modification for virtually any IC fabrication process, asmentioned above. The first digital controller 105 (and also the secondand third digital controllers 135, 145) are independent from the firstand second reconfigurable frequency and delay generators 110, 140,respectively, and further independent from the LC oscillator 275, allwith respect to timing, so the circuitry layouts may be doneindependently as well.

The first digital controller 105 (and also the second and third digitalcontrollers 135, 145) may be designated or specified using behavioralcode, which is then used to directly generate and provide a circuitnetlist, or a GDSII file or other IC layout, for example, forfabrication for a selected IC fabrication process, and therefore isindependent of fabrication process as well. Stated another way, giventhe inventive circuit design of the first digital controller 105, suchas using a gray code counter 210 to cross clock domains, together withthe specification of all of this circuit functionality and algorithmsusing behavioral code (if x, then y), the first digital controller 105(and also the second and third digital controllers 135, 145) aredirectly “synthesizable”, directly convertible to a circuit netlist, andmay be fabricated using any fabrication process technology withoutmodification.

Similarly, and as described in greater detail below, given the nature ofthe timing-independent control from the respective first digitalcontroller 105 (and also the second and third digital controllers 135,145), which may be considered to be analog circuits, very minimalinformation about a fabrication process technology is required totransfer or port the first and second reconfigurable frequency and delaygenerators 110, 140 between and among different IC fabrication processesand, in turn, only very limited modification is required forimplementation of the first and second reconfigurable frequency anddelay generators 110, 140 in any given fabrication process technology.The first and second reconfigurable frequency and delay generators 110,140 have been implemented using multiple instantiations of the samecomponents having highly regular structures, such as multiple oscillatorstages 270, each of which has an identical circuit structure that can beoptimized using a guided place and route, and repeated across the IC asnecessary or desirable. As a result, the first and second reconfigurablefrequency and delay generators 110, 140 can also be provided ascircuitry netlists across a wide range of IC fabrication processeswithout significant modification.

With this ease of synthesis and/or fabrication, the first, second and/orthird reconfigurable, digital phase-locked loops 100, 200, 300, andtheir various components such as the first digital controller 105 (andalso the second and third digital controllers 135, 145) and the firstand second reconfigurable frequency and delay generators 110, 140, alsomay then be provided to an end-user or customer as readily-insertable,large scale standard libraries or cells which may be utilized, withoutmodification, in any selected fabrication process for any selectedintegrated circuit requiring a PLL.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram illustrating exemplary or representativeembodiments of a first digital controller 105 and a first reconfigurablefrequency and delay generator 110 for the first, second and/or thirdreconfigurable, digital phase-locked loops 100, 200, 300. Asillustrated, the first reconfigurable frequency and delay generator 110generally comprises a reconfigurable oscillator or delay line 155, 190,which using the same circuitry may have different configurations, suchas a reconfigurable (ring) oscillator (155) (FIGS. 5 and 20) also may beconfigured instead as a reconfigurable delay line (or delay locked loop)(190) (FIGS. 6 and 21), which further comprises delay control circuits160. Depending upon the configuration, the reconfigurable oscillator ordelay line 155, 190 is referred to herein as a reconfigurable oscillator155 or as a reconfigurable delay line (or delay locked loop) 190, itbeing understood that the same circuitry it utilized in bothconfigurations to form different circuit structures. The firstreconfigurable frequency and delay generator 110 further comprises anoptional reconfigurable phase interpolator 165 (includable as an option,such as a user selectable option with corresponding configurationparameters, such as selectable jitter levels as user input parameters),and one or more phase samplers 170, illustrated in FIG. 4 with one phasesampler 170.

As mentioned above, it should be noted that the second reconfigurablefrequency and delay generator 140 may be implemented identically orsubstantially similarly to the first reconfigurable frequency and delaygenerator 110, and will also generally comprise a reconfigurableoscillator or delay line 155, 190 (which may have differentconfigurations, such as a reconfigurable (ring) oscillator (155) (FIGS.5 and 20) also may be configured instead as a reconfigurable delay line(or delay locked loop) (190) (FIGS. 6 and 21)), which further comprisesdelay control circuits 160, an optional reconfigurable phaseinterpolator 165 (also includable as an option, such as a userselectable option with corresponding parameters, such as selectablejitter levels as user input parameters), and at least one phase sampler170. In addition, depending upon the embodiment (e.g., for a thirdreconfigurable, digital phase-locked loop 300), additional phasesamplers 170 may also be included, as an option, to provide phaseinformation for separate use by the third digital controller 145 (asillustrated in FIG. 6).

The first digital controller 105 generally comprises a binary encoder205, a gray code counter 210, a gray code sampler 215 (which also mayinclude one or more gray code registers 285), an optional errorcorrection circuit 260, a gray code-to-binary converter 220, a adder (orcombiner) 225, a multiplier 230, a reference counter (or accumulator)235, a comparator (adder or subtractor) 240, and programmable digitalfilter 250. The programmable digital filter 250 is generally implementedto receive an error count (if any) from the comparator (adder orsubtractor) 240 (which optionally may also include a second error signalφ_(ERR2) (650), discussed below), and based upon that error count, usingdigital control logic circuits, the programmable digital filter 250generates control signals to modify the frequency and phase of theoutput signal having a frequency, f_(our). The output of theprogrammable digital filter 250 is one or more control words, providedas control signals (corresponding voltage levels) on bus 125. Thecontrol word(s) may be viewed as an ordered set of control signals, suchas high or low voltages, corresponding to and/or represented by anordered plurality of binary coefficients, having a form such as controlword comprising coefficients [a₀, a₁, a₂ . . . a_(N); b₀, b₁, b₂, . . .b_(N); c₀, c₁, c₂, . . . c_(N); d₀, d₁, d₂, . . . d_(N); e₀, e₁, e₂, . .. e_(N); z₀, z₁, z₂, . . . z_(N)], or equivalently as a plurality ofcontrol words comprising coefficients [a₀, a₁, a₂ . . . a_(N)]; [b₀, b₁,b₂, . . . b_(N)]; [c₀, c₁, c₂, . . . c_(N)]; [d₀, d₁, . . . d_(N)]; [e₀,e₁, e₂, . . . e_(N)]; . . . [z₀, z₁, z₂, . . . z_(N)], for example andwithout limitation. Accordingly, as used herein, a “control word” shouldbe understood to mean and include any corresponding control signals ordigital representations of such control signals, such as a binary 1(one) corresponding to a high voltage control signal, and a binary 0(zero) corresponding to a low voltage control signal.

As discussed in greater detail below, these various binary coefficientsof the control word(s) have corresponding control signals having high orlow voltage levels, and are provided to: (1) the delay control circuits160 (and its components) and to the reconfigurable phase interpolator165 for, respectively, frequency and jitter level selection and feedbackfor frequency and phase locking, for example and without limitation, forthe first and second reconfigurable, digital phase-locked loops 100,200; or (2) the capacitive tuning circuits 195 (and its components,discussed in greater detail below) of the LC oscillator circuitry 275and to the reconfigurable phase interpolator 165 for, respectively,frequency and jitter level selection and feedback for frequency andphase locking, for example and without limitation, for the thirdreconfigurable, digital phase-locked loop 300. In addition, forfrequency and jitter level selection during configuration and/orreconfiguration, such coefficients may be provided or generated throughthe user interface controller 115 and/or stored in the memory 120 inresponse to configuration parameters, or provided directly asconfiguration parameters, as discussed above. For example and withoutlimitation, a user may configure the first, second and/or thirdreconfigurable, digital phase-locked loops 100, 200, 300 for a selectedfrequency and jitter level, which is then translated by the userinterface controller 115 into a plurality of coefficients, provided ascorresponding control signals to the delay control circuits 160 (and itscomponents) and to the reconfigurable phase interpolator 165, or to thecapacitive tuning circuits 195 (and its components) and to thereconfigurable phase interpolator 165, and also optionally stored in thememory 120. Alternatively, the configuration parameters may include suchcoefficients, which are provided directly to these components from thememory 120.

In various embodiments, the phase sampler 170 and the phase interpolator165 may also be considered to be part of the first digital controller105 (and also the second digital controller 135), rather than part ofthe first and/or second reconfigurable frequency and delay generators110, 140. For example and without limitation, when each such controller(105, 135, 145) is considered a digital control loop circuit coupleableto any oscillator to form a configurable, digital phase-locked loop,then the phase sampler 170 and the phase interpolator 165 are consideredto be part of the first digital controller 105 (and also the seconddigital controller 135), and may further comprise the memory 120. Forsuch an embodiment, the phase sampler 170, the binary encoder 205 andthe gray code counter 210 comprise a “frequency and phase detector”, andthe digital controller (e.g., 105) is further adapted to detect thefrequency and phase of the output signal, and to generate the pluralityof control signals in response to both the plurality of configurationparameters and the detected frequency and phase of the output signal.

FIGS. 5-7 are block diagrams illustrating in greater detail exemplary orrepresentative embodiments of first and/or second reconfigurablefrequency and delay generators 110, 140, in several different circuitversions or alternatives, for the first, second and/or thirdreconfigurable, digital phase-locked loops 100, 200, 300. FIG. 5 is ablock diagram illustrating in greater detail an exemplary orrepresentative embodiment of first and/or second reconfigurablefrequency and delay generator 110 _(A), 140 _(A), in a first circuitversion or alternative, for the first and/or second reconfigurable,digital phase-locked loops 100, 200, in which the reconfigurableoscillator or delay line 155, 190 is configured as a reconfigurableoscillator 155. FIG. 6 is a block diagram illustrating in greater detailan exemplary or representative embodiment of first and/or secondreconfigurable frequency and delay generators 110 _(B), 140 _(B), in asecond circuit version or alternative, for the third reconfigurable,digital phase-locked loop 300, in which the reconfigurable oscillator ordelay line 155, 190 is configured as a reconfigurable delay line (ordelay locked loop) 190. FIG. 7 is a block diagram illustrating ingreater detail an exemplary or representative embodiment of first and/orsecond reconfigurable frequency and delay generators 110 _(C), 140 _(C),in a third circuit version or alternative, for the first, second and/orthird reconfigurable, digital phase-locked loops 100, 200, 300, in whichthe reconfigurable oscillator or delay line 155, 190 is configurable andreconfigurable as either the reconfigurable oscillator 155 or thereconfigurable delay line (or delay locked loop) 190. Accordingly, anyreference to first and/or second reconfigurable frequency and delaygenerators 110, 140 should be understood to mean and include any and allof the various circuit versions or alternatives 110 _(A), 110 _(B), 110_(C), and 140 _(A), 140 _(B), 140 _(C), respectively.

In addition, any of these various circuit versions or alternatives 110_(A), 110 _(B), 110 _(C), and 140 _(A), 140 _(B), 140 _(C), may beutilized in any permutation or combination in the second reconfigurable,digital phase-locked loop 200, such as a first reconfigurable frequencyand delay generator 110 _(C) may be utilized with a secondreconfigurable frequency and delay generator 140 _(A), or a firstreconfigurable frequency and delay generator 110 _(B) may be utilizedwith a second reconfigurable frequency and delay generator 140 _(C), andso one, in any such permutation or combination, for example and withoutlimitation.

Continuing to refer to FIGS. 4-5, the reconfigurable oscillator 155provides or generates the output signal having the desired or selectablefrequency, f_(OUT), with the desired or selectable frequency determinedby the delay control circuits 160 based upon the control signals(control word(s)) provided or generated by the first digital controller105. As described in greater detail below, the reconfigurable oscillator155 is typically implemented as a plurality of oscillator stages 270(illustrated as first oscillator stage 270 ₁, second oscillator stage270 ₂, through N^(th) oscillator stage 270 _(N)), coupled in series (viawires or bus 468), with the output of the last oscillator stage(oscillator stage 270 _(N)) fed back to the input of the firstoscillator stage (oscillator stage 270 ₁), forming a ring oscillatorcircuit structure. The oscillation phases between (and/or among) theplurality of oscillator stages are sampled by the phase sampler 170(which is also clocked by the reference frequency, as described ingreater detail below), and the sampled phase information is provided bythe phase sampler 170 (via bus 175, or other wires or lines) to thebinary encoder 205 of the first digital controller 105. When included asan option, the reconfigurable phase interpolator 165 is coupled betweenthe reconfigurable oscillator 155 and the phase sampler 170, and thereconfigurable phase interpolator 165 generates additional, morefine-grained and/or time-averaged oscillation phases between (and/oramong) the plurality of oscillator stages, for sampling by the phasesampler 170. In addition, as discussed with reference to FIGS. 31 and32, the number of the plurality of oscillator stages 270 is alsoconfigurable and/or reconfigurable, depending on the selectedembodiment, such as in response to input configuration parameters.

FIG. 5 also illustrates that the plurality of oscillator stages 270 maybe provided in differential form (i.e., double-ended, in addition tosingle-ended), and further in FIGS. 6 and 7, that additional frequencycontrol (e.g., LC (inductive and capacitive) oscillator (or tank) 275)may also be included as an option. As discussed in greater detail below(with reference to FIG. 6), when optional LC oscillator circuitry 275 isincluded, the output signal having output frequency f_(OUT) is providedby the LC oscillator circuitry 275 (on line or bus 137), and the outputof the last oscillator stage 270 _(N) is not fed back to the firstoscillator stage 270 ₁. As discussed in greater detail below (withreference to FIG. 7), when optional LC oscillator circuitry 275 andoptional switching circuitry is included, the output signal havingoutput frequency f_(OUT) is selectively provided by either the LCoscillator circuitry 275 or reconfigurable oscillator or delay line 155,190 having the reconfigurable oscillator 155 circuit configuration; inthe former case, the output of the last oscillator stage 270 _(N) is notfed back to the first oscillator stage 270 ₁, while in the latter case,the output of the last oscillator stage 270 _(N) is fed back to thefirst oscillator stage 270 ₁. In addition, each oscillator stage 270 mayinclude, and generally does include, delay control circuits 160,providing a corresponding plurality of delay control circuits 160, asmay be necessary or desirable. For the third reconfigurable, digitalphase-locked loop 300, in which the output signal (having the outputfrequency f_(OUT)) is provided by the LC oscillator circuitry 275, theLC oscillator circuitry 275 also includes capacitive tuning circuits 195(and their components), which can be implemented using instantiations orembodiments of the same circuitry as the capacitive components of thedelay control circuits 160, as discussed in greater detail below withreference to FIGS. 8 and 17-19.

For the first, second and/or third reconfigurable, digital phase-lockedloops 100, 200, 300, the output signal having output frequency f_(OUT)is provided (on lines or bus 138), for feedback used in generation ofthe control word(s), to the gray code counter 210, which is also clockedby the output frequency f_(OUT), enabling an accurate count of thecycles of the output frequency f_(OUT), which is typically a much higherfrequency than the reference frequency. With each successive cycle ofthe output frequency f_(OUT), the gray code count provided by gray codecounter 210 changes by one bit. Subject to that constraint, any suitablegray code may be implemented by the gray code counter 210. That graycode count is sampled by gray code sampler 215 (also clocked by theoutput frequency f_(OUT)), which may also include gray code registers285, generally to store a plurality of successive gray code outputfrequency f_(OUT) cycle counts (which may then be utilized as well forerror correction, as discussed in greater detail below). The gray codecount samples stored in the gray code registers 285 are then read by thegray code-to-binary converter 220, or by the optional error correctioncircuit 260, clocked at the reference frequency f_(REF). With the graycode output frequency f_(OUT) cycle counts having been determined andsampled using the output frequency f_(OUT) for clocking, and only thegray code output frequency f_(OUT) cycle counts themselves beingprovided to either the gray code-to-binary converter 220, or to theoptional error correction circuit 260 and then to the graycode-to-binary converter 220, timing independence is provided betweenthe first reconfigurable frequency and delay generator 110 and the firstdigital controller 105.

Alternatively, when the gray code registers 285 are not implemented, thegray code count (clocked by the output frequency f_(OUT)) is alsosampled by gray code sampler 215, but clocked at the reference frequencyf_(REF), to provide the transition in clock domains from f_(OUT) to thef_(REF) clock domain of the balance (or remaining) circuits of the firstdigital controller 105. The sampled gray code output frequency f_(OUT)cycle counts are also then provided to either the gray code-to-binaryconverter 220, or to the optional error correction circuit 260 and thento the gray code-to-binary converter 220, also providing for timingindependence between the first reconfigurable frequency and delaygenerator 110 and the first digital controller 105.

As discussed in greater detail below, also for the first, second and/orthird reconfigurable, digital phase-locked loops 100, 200, 300, thebinary encoder 205 converts the sampled phase information (from phasesampler 170) to a binary representation, and the gray code-to-binaryconverter 220 converts the gray code count (gray code output frequencyf_(OUT) cycle counts) to a binary representation, which are thencombined by adder (or combiner) 225 to provide a combined frequency andphase count for feedback, with the binary frequency count being thehigher significant digits and the binary phase count being the lowersignificant digits. Generally concurrently, the reference frequencyf_(REF) also has been input into the reference counter (or accumulator)235, which generates an initial frequency count (as a multiplicand), andthe initial frequency count is then multiplied (or divided) bymultiplier 230 (using input configuration parameters to determine themultiplier amount (i.e., the amount “M” of the multiplication of themultiplicand)), to provide a multiplied reference (or total) frequencycount corresponding to the user-selected or otherwise configurable orreconfigurable desired frequency. The multiplied reference frequencycount is then compared with the combined frequency and phase feedbackcount (provided by the adder (or combiner) 225), by the comparator (oradder or subtractor) 240, to determine an error count indicative of thedifference (if any) between both the frequency and phase of the outputfrequency f_(OUT) compared to the multiplied reference frequencyf_(REF). Depending upon the implementation, the comparator 240 may alsobe utilized to add a second error signal φ_(ERR2) (650) into the totalerror count, such as to generate an output signal having a frequencywhich is a fractional offset from an integer multiple of the referencefrequency. The error count is provided to the programmable digitalfilter 250, which in turn, based on the error count and the desiredfrequency, generates (or modifies) one or more control words or signalsprovided: (1) to the reconfigurable oscillator 155 and the delay controlcircuits 160, for the output signal having output frequency f_(OUT) tomatch and lock to the desired frequency (as a multiple of the referencefrequency f_(REF)) and match and lock to the phase of the referencefrequency f_(REF); or (2) to the capacitive tuning circuits 195 of theLC oscillator circuitry 275, also for the output signal having outputfrequency f_(OUT) to match and lock to the desired frequency (as amultiple of the reference frequency f_(REF)) and match and lock to thephase of the reference frequency f_(REF). The coefficients used in theprogrammable digital filter 250 are typically configuration parametersor determined from configuration parameters, as mentioned above.

FIG. 6 is a block diagram illustrating in greater detail an exemplary orrepresentative embodiment of a first and/or second reconfigurablefrequency and delay generators 110 _(B), 140 _(B), in a second circuitversion or alternative, for the third reconfigurable, digitalphase-locked loop 300, in which the reconfigurable oscillator or delayline 155, 190 is configured as a reconfigurable delay line (or delaylocked loop) 190 circuit. For the third reconfigurable, digitalphase-locked loop 300, LC oscillator circuitry 275 is included whichprovides the output signal having output frequency f_(OUT), which istunable or otherwise selectable using the capacitive tuning circuits 195(and their components), under the control of the control signals orcontrol words provided by the first digital controller 105, as discussedabove and as discussed in greater detail below. As illustrated in FIG.6, the oscillator stages 270 of the reconfigurable oscillator or delayline 155, 190 of the first and/or second reconfigurable frequency anddelay generators, 110, 140, are configured successively in series witheach other as a delay line (or delay locked loop) 190 circuitconfiguration, such that the input of the first stage (oscillator stage270 ₁) is the output signal having output frequency f_(OUT) provided bythe LC oscillator circuitry 275, and the output of the last stage(oscillator stage 270 _(N)) is not fed back to the input of the firststage (oscillator stage 270 ₁).

In response to control words (control signals and/or error signals)provided by the third digital controller 145, the first reconfigurablefrequency and delay generator 110 in this delay line 190 circuitconfiguration synchronizes to the frequency and phase of the outputsignal having output frequency f_(OUT) generated by the LC oscillator275. More particularly, in response to control words (control signalsand/or error signals) provided by the third digital controller 145, theamount of delay between each oscillator stage 270 of the plurality ofoscillator stages 270 of the delay line 190 is adjusted until theoverall delay and oscillation of the delay line 190 circuitconfiguration synchronizes with and matches the frequency and phase ofthe output signal having output frequency f_(OUT) generated by the LCoscillator 275, with the total delay provided by the delay line 190circuit configuration converging and matching the oscillation period ofthe LC oscillator 275. The delay line 190 circuit configuration is thenutilized to provide incremental phase information, as described below.

The oscillation phases between (and/or among) the plurality ofoscillator stages 270 of the delay line 190 are also sampled by thephase sampler 170, illustrated as first phase sampler 170 _(B) (which isalso clocked by the reference frequency, as described in greater detailbelow), and the sampled phase information is provided by the first phasesampler 170 _(B) (via bus 175, or other wires or lines) to the binaryencoder 205 of the first digital controller 105. When the reconfigurablephase interpolator 165 is included as an option, another, second phasesampler 170 _(A) is also included to provide non-interpolated phaseinformation to the third digital controller 145. The reconfigurablephase interpolator 165 is also coupled between the series-coupledplurality of oscillator stages 270 and the phase sampler 170 _(B), andthe reconfigurable phase interpolator 165 generates additional, morefine-grained and/or time-averaged oscillation phases between (and/oramong) the plurality of oscillator stages 270, for sampling by the phasesampler 170 _(B). In addition, as discussed with reference to FIGS. 31and 32, the number of the plurality of oscillator stages 270 is alsoconfigurable and/or reconfigurable, depending on the selectedembodiment, but without the feedback of the output of the lastoscillator stage 270 _(N) to the first oscillator stage 270 ₁.

Continuing to refer to FIG. 6, a third digital controller 145 (oranother, separate first digital controller 105) is utilized to controlthe locking of the delay line 190 to the phase of the output signalhaving output frequency f_(OUT), using sampled phases provided by secondphase sampler 170 _(A) (on line or bus 139), which may be configured asillustrated in FIG. 21, and is clocked by the output signal havingoutput frequency f_(OUT), which may be from either the LC oscillator 275or from the delay line 190 Alternatively, another, separate firstdigital controller 105 may be substituted for the third digitalcontroller 145, and will operate as discussed above. In a representativeembodiment, a comparatively more simple third digital controller 145 itutilized, such as a digital filter, to generate corresponding controlsignals (as control words) to the delay control circuits 160 of eachoscillator stage 270 (on line or bus 141), to equalize the delaysbetween the oscillator stages 270 of the delay line 190 and lock to thephase of the output signal having output frequency f_(OUT). The delayline 190 circuit configuration of the first and/or second reconfigurablefrequency and delay generators 110 _(B), 140 _(B) then provides forobtaining phase information of the output signal having output frequencyf_(OUT), which would otherwise not be obtainable directly from the LCoscillator 275.

FIG. 7 is a block diagram illustrating in greater detail an exemplary orrepresentative embodiment of a first and/or second reconfigurablefrequency and delay generators 110 _(C), 140 _(C), in a third circuitversion or alternative, for the first, second and/or thirdreconfigurable, digital phase-locked loops 100, 200, 300. For thisembodiment, the first and/or second reconfigurable frequency and delaygenerators 110 _(C), 140 _(C) operate as discussed above for firstand/or second reconfigurable frequency and delay generators 110 _(A),140 _(A) and first and/or second reconfigurable frequency and delaygenerators 110 _(B), 140 _(B), but include additional switchingcomponents, which may be multiplexers or other switching arrangements,such as a first multiplexer 180, a second multiplexer 185, a thirdmultiplexer 183, and a fourth switch 187 (which may be implemented, forexample, as one or more transmission gates 365 or a multiplexer). Forthis embodiment, the first and/or second reconfigurable frequency anddelay generators 110 _(C), 140 _(C) provide for the option of includingLC oscillator circuitry 275, such as either through pins to theintegrated circuit to add an external inductor or through integratedfabrication of an inductor on the same IC, such as an inductor 550illustrated and discussed below with reference to FIGS. 17 and 18. Thefirst multiplexer 180, second multiplexer 185, third multiplexer 183 andfourth switch 187 (transmission gates 365 or a multiplexer) are thenutilized to select the operating mode (circuit configuration) of thefirst, second and/or third reconfigurable, digital phase-locked loops100, 200, 300, typically in response to input configuration parametersor other configuration information, illustrated as select signals “SEL”,or alternatively indirectly through control signals based upon theconfiguration parameters, as mentioned above.

More particularly, when the optional LC oscillator circuitry 275 isincluded, in response to configuration parameters and/or controlsignals: (1) the first multiplexer 180 selects the LC oscillatorcircuitry 275 output signal for input into the first oscillator stage270 (oscillator stage 270 ₁) (and not the output of the last stage(oscillator stage 270 _(N))) to form the delay line (or delay lockedloop) 190 circuit configuration; (2) the second multiplexer 185 selectsthe output signal from the LC oscillator circuitry 275 as the outputsignal having output frequency f_(OUT) (and not from the first and/orsecond reconfigurable frequency and delay generators 110 _(C), 140_(C)); (3) the third multiplexer 183 selects the third digitalcontroller 145 (and not the first digital controller 105) to providecontrol words to the plurality of oscillator stages 270 of the delayline 190; and (4) the fourth switch (or multiplexer) 187 switches theoutput of the first digital controller 105 to the capacitive tuningcircuits 195 of the LC oscillator 275.

Also more particularly, when the optional LC oscillator circuitry 275 isnot included, in response to configuration parameters and/or controlsignals: (1) the first multiplexer 180 selects the output of the laststage (oscillator stage 270 _(N)) to be fed back to the input of thefirst oscillator stage 270 (oscillator stage 270 ₁) (and not the outputof the LC oscillator circuitry 275) to form the reconfigurableoscillator 155 having a ring oscillator circuit configuration; (2) thesecond multiplexer 185 selects the output signal from the last stage(oscillator stage 270 _(N)) of the first and/or second reconfigurablefrequency and delay generators 110 _(C), 140 _(C) as the output signalhaving output frequency f_(OUT) (and not from the LC oscillatorcircuitry 275); (3) the third multiplexer 183 selects the first digitalcontroller 105 (and not the third digital controller 145) to providecontrol words to the plurality of oscillator stages 270 of thereconfigurable oscillator 155 to lock to the frequency and phase of themultiplied reference frequency f_(REF); and (4) the fourth switch (ormultiplexer) 187 switches, disconnects or decouples the output of thefirst digital controller 105 from the capacitive tuning circuits 195 ofthe LC oscillator 275.

Those having skill in the art will recognize that a wide variety ofswitching circuitry and switching configurations are available for thefirst and/or second reconfigurable frequency and delay generators 110_(C), 140 _(C), any and all of which are considered equivalent andwithin the scope of the disclosure.

FIG. 8 is a block diagram illustrating in greater detail an exemplary orrepresentative embodiment of an oscillator stage 270, an exemplary orrepresentative embodiment of delay control circuits 160 of thereconfigurable oscillator or delay line 155, 190 of the firstreconfigurable frequency and delay generator 110 (and/or secondreconfigurable frequency and delay generator 140), for the first, secondand/or third reconfigurable, digital phase-locked loops 100, 200, 300.It should be noted that the demarcation between the delay controlcircuits 160 and oscillator stage 270 may be considered rather arbitraryat least for some components, as those components could be considered tobe included in either the oscillator stage 270 or the delay controlcircuits 160 without a loss of generality, for example and withoutlimitation, and as described in greater detail below. As illustrated,the oscillator stages 270 either form a ring oscillator circuitstructure or a delay lock loop (or delay line) 190 circuit structure.

For the reconfigurable (ring) oscillator (155) circuit structure: (1) acore inverter stage 295 either is coupled at its input (or differentialinputs) in series to a previous core inverter stage 295 or, when theoscillator stage 270 is the first oscillator stage 270 ₁ (of the ringoscillator), is coupled at its input (or differential inputs) to theoutput f_(OUT) of the last oscillator stage 270 ₁; and (2) the coreinverter stage 295 may be either coupled at its output (or differentialoutputs) in series to a next core inverter stage 295, or is the lastcore inverter stage 295 of the oscillator stage 270 _(N) and providesthe output signal having output frequency f_(OUT).

For the reconfigurable delay line or delay locked loop (190) circuitstructure: (1) a core inverter stage 295 either is coupled at its input(or differential inputs) in series to a previous core inverter stage295, or when the oscillator stage 270 is the first oscillator stage 270₁ (of the delay line 190), coupled at its input (or differential inputs)to the output f_(OUT) of the LC oscillator 275; and (2) the coreinverter stage 295 may be either coupled at its output (or differentialoutputs) in series to a next core inverter stage 295, or is the lastcore inverter stage 295 of the oscillator stage 270 _(N) and provides anoutput signal to a phase sampler 170 or phase interpolator 165.

As discussed in greater detail below, the number of oscillator stages270 is configurable and reconfigurable, with one or more oscillatorstages 270 being switchable: (1) into or out of the ring oscillator tochange the oscillation frequency of the first reconfigurable frequencyand delay generator 110 (and/or second reconfigurable frequency anddelay generator 140) for the first and/or second reconfigurable, digitalphase-locked loops 100, 200; or into or out of the delay line 190circuit structure to provide greater or lesser granularity of the phaseinformation provided to the first digital controller 105.

A representative oscillator stage 270 comprises at least one “core”(i.e., unswitched or switchable (e.g., on/off)) inverter (or inverterstage) 295, and one or more delay control circuits 160. Therepresentative delay control circuits 160 comprise a first plurality of“primary” switched capacitors 310, a second plurality of “secondary”switched digital varactors 315, with each switched digital varactor 315of the plurality of switched digital varactors 315 coupled to a voltagecontroller 320 of a plurality of voltage controllers 320, and may beconsidered to also comprise frequency control inverters (or inverterstages) 305. The representative capacitive tuning circuits 195 alsocomprise a first plurality of “primary” switched capacitors 310 and asecond plurality of “secondary” switched digital varactors 315, witheach switched digital varactor 315 of the plurality of switched digitalvaractors 315 also coupled to a voltage controller 320 of a plurality ofvoltage controllers 320, and further having the same circuit structure,same control mechanisms (signaling), and same operation of thosecomponents used in the delay control circuits 160, but are coupledinstead to the inductor circuitry of the LC oscillator 275, as discussedin greater detail below with reference to FIGS. 17-19. Each of thesevarious components and representative embodiments are discussed ingreater detail below.

A representative oscillator stage 270 comprises at least one “core”(i.e., unswitched or switchable (e.g., on/off)) inverter (or inverterstage) 295, that is always on (i.e., is not switched off or out of theoscillator stage 270, when the oscillator stage 270 is included andactive in the ring oscillator circuit structure or the delay line 190circuit structure), and may also comprise one or more switchable,frequency control inverters (or inverter stages) 305, illustrated asfrequency control inverter 305 ₁, frequency control inverter 305 ₂,through frequency control inverter 305 _(N). The inverter 295 andfrequency control inverters 305 are illustrated as being differentialinverters; those having skill in the art will recognize thatsingle-ended (non-differential) inverters may be used equivalently. Inaddition, as discussed below with reference to FIG. 9, in addition tobeing differential, the inverter 295, 295A may also be cross-coupled, asillustrated in FIG. 9.

FIG. 9 is a block diagram illustrating in greater detail an exemplary orrepresentative embodiment of a cross-coupled differential core inverterstage 295 _(A), and a plurality of configurable frequency controlinverters 305A, illustrated as configurable frequency control inverters305 _(A1), 305 _(A2), 305 _(A3), through 305 _(AN), for the oscillatorstages 270 of the first (and/or second) reconfigurable frequency anddelay generator 110, 140 for the first, second and/or thirdreconfigurable, digital phase-locked loops 100, 200, 300. FIG. 10 is acircuit diagram illustrating in greater detail an exemplary orrepresentative embodiment of an inverter 330 for a cross-coupleddifferential core inverter stage 295 _(A). FIG. 11 is a circuit diagramillustrating in greater detail an exemplary or representative embodimentof first configurable frequency control inverter 305 _(A), 305 _(B)having a single-ended circuit structure. FIG. 12 is a circuit diagramillustrating in greater detail an exemplary or representative embodimentof a second configurable frequency control inverter 305 _(C) having adifferential, cross-coupled circuit structure. FIG. 13 is a circuitdiagram illustrating in greater detail an exemplary or representativeembodiment of a third configurable frequency control inverter 305 _(D)having a differential, cross-coupled circuit structure.

Referring to FIGS. 8-13, the cross-coupled differential core inverterstage 295 _(A) comprises a plurality of inverters 330, such as theinverter circuit comprising a p-type transistor 335 coupled to an n-typetransistor 340, illustrated as MOSFETs, although any type of transistormay be utilized equivalently, as known to those having skill in the art.The inverters 330 ₁ and 330 ₂ receive differential input, illustrated asIN+ and IN−, and are optionally cross-coupled using inverters 330 ₃ and330 ₄ (which are typically sized to be about ⅓ to ⅛ the size of theinverters 330 ₁ and 330 ₂). The inverters 330 ₃ and 330 ₄ may beconfigurable or nonconfigurable, e.g., configurable to the extent ofbeing turned off to save power, in which case inverters 305 _(A) may besubstituted for inverters 330 ₃ and 330 ₄, for example and withoutlimitation.

The frequency control inverters 305 _(A), 305 _(B), 305 _(C), 305 _(D)differ from the inverters 330 in two ways. First, the frequency controlinverters 305 _(A), 305 _(B), 305 _(C), 305 _(D) may be switched into orout of the oscillator stage 270 via p-type transistor 345 (345 _(A), 345_(B)) and n-type transistor 350 (350 _(A), 350 _(B)), as illustrated inFIGS. 11-13, which have respective gates coupled to receive controlsignals (as respective control voltages corresponding to one or morecoefficients of a control word and an inverse of the coefficient(s) (viainverter 355, which may be embodied as a typical inverter, such isillustrated in FIG. 10), such as the coefficients of a control word [a₀,a₁, a₂ . . . a_(N)] as illustrated, for switching the various frequencycontrol inverters 305 _(A), 305 _(B), 305 _(C), 305 _(D) into or out ofthe oscillator stage 270.

Second, and perhaps more significantly, the transistors 335 (335 _(A),335 _(B)), 340 (340 _(A), 340 _(B)), 345 (345 _(A), 345 _(B)), and 350of a frequency control inverter 305 _(A), 305 _(B), 305 _(C), 305 _(D)are each sized, and thereby weighted, to provide a predetermined orselectable delay for the oscillator stage 270 and thereby affect theoscillation frequency provided by the rise and fall times of thefrequency control inverter 305 _(A), 305 _(B), 305 _(C), 305 _(D). Forexample, comparatively larger transistors (e.g., having a comparativelylarger source-to-drain channel) would allow a comparatively greatercurrent to flow and charge faster, comparatively decreasing the rise andfall times (comparatively lower delay) of the frequency control inverter305 _(A), 305 _(B), 305 _(C), 305 _(D), thereby providing a (frequency)weighting resulting in a comparatively higher oscillation frequency,while comparatively smaller transistors (e.g., having a comparativelysmaller source-to-drain channel) would allow a comparatively lessercurrent to flow and charge more slowly, comparatively increasing therise and fall times (comparatively higher delay) of the frequencycontrol inverter 305 _(A), thereby providing a (frequency) weightingresulting in a lower oscillation frequency.

Accordingly, each of the frequency control inverters 305 _(A), 305 _(B),305 _(C), 305 _(D) are correspondingly weighted, due to theircomparative size (via their component transistors 335 (335 _(A), 335_(B)), 340 (340 _(A), 340 _(B)), 345 (345 _(A), 345 _(B)), and 350), toprovide different oscillation frequencies, any and all of which can beselected using the control signals (high or low voltages, correspondingto the binary coefficient values) of the control word(s) (e.g.,comprising the coefficients [a₀, a₁, a₂ . . . a_(N)]) provided by thefirst digital controller 105. In a representative embodiment, thefrequency control inverters 305 _(A), 305 _(B), 305 _(C), 305 _(D) areselected (i.e., switched in or out of the oscillator stage 270) toprovide a first, comparatively coarse level of frequency control of theoscillator stage 270 (and thereby a first, comparatively coarse level offrequency control of the first reconfigurable frequency and delaygenerator 110 (and/or second reconfigurable frequency and delaygenerator 140) for the first or second reconfigurable, digitalphase-locked loops 100, 200). Accordingly, the frequency controlinverters 305 _(A), 305 _(B), 305 _(C), 305 _(D) can be considered to bepart of the oscillator stage 270 or part of the delay control circuits160, equivalently, given that the frequency control inverters 305 _(A),305 _(B), 305 _(C), 305 _(D) provide part of the overall frequencycontrol of the first reconfigurable frequency and delay generator 110and/or second reconfigurable frequency and delay generator 140. Asdiscussed in greater detail below, such weighting of the variousfrequency control inverters 305 _(A), 305 _(B), 305 _(C), 305 _(D) mayhave any of a plurality of different forms such as, for example andwithout limitation, binary weighting of different frequency controlinverters 305 _(A), 305 _(B), 305 _(C), 305 _(D), or the same weightingfor all of the frequency control inverters 305 _(A), 305 _(B), 305 _(C),305 _(D), other combinations of different weightings, and so on. In arepresentative embodiment, each of the frequency control inverters 305_(A), 305 _(B), 305 _(C), 305 _(D) have a different weight, such asbinary weightings of “x”, “2x”, “2²x”, “2³x”, though “2^(N)x” orincremental weightings of “x”, “2x”, “3x”, “4x”, though “Nx”, forexample and without limitation. In another representative embodiment,the frequency control inverters 305 _(A), 305 _(B), 305 _(C), 305 _(D)are equally weighted, and each provides a predetermined step size in theoscillation frequency of the first reconfigurable frequency and delaygenerator 110 and/or second reconfigurable frequency and delay generator140, e.g., a predetermined percentage of the output frequency, such as8.0% to 9.0%, or specific predetermined step size, such as an 80-90 MHzstep size, or a 2 MHz step size, or a 5 MHz step size, for example andwithout limitation. Any and all combinations of such weightings arewithin the scope of the disclosure.

Referring again to FIG. 8, representative delay control circuits 160 andrepresentative capacitive tuning circuits 195 also comprise a firstplurality of “primary” switched capacitors 310, and a second pluralityof “secondary” switched digital varactors 315, with each switcheddigital varactor 315 of the plurality of switched digital varactors 315coupled to a voltage controller 320 of a plurality of voltagecontrollers 320. Equivalently, the frequency control inverters 305 _(A)can be considered to be part of the delay control circuits 160, asmentioned above, or part of the oscillator stage 270, but generally arenot included in the representative capacitive tuning circuits 195.Collectively, every oscillator stage 270 comprises or includes thepluralities of primary switched capacitors 310 and secondary switcheddigital varactors 315, forming a bank of capacitors, which can be usedto tune the oscillation frequency of the first reconfigurable frequencyand delay generator 110 (and/or second reconfigurable frequency anddelay generator 140) for the first and/or second reconfigurable, digitalphase-locked loops 100, 200, by switching a selected amount ofcapacitance into (or out of) the oscillator stage 270 (using controlwords provided by the first digital controller 105 (or the third digitalcontroller 145), in the first, second and/or third reconfigurable,digital phase-locked loops 100, 200, 300.

Similarly, representative capacitive tuning circuits 195 comprise orinclude the pluralities of primary switched capacitors 310 and secondaryswitched digital varactors 315, forming a bank of capacitors, which canbe used to tune the oscillation (or resonant) frequency of the LCoscillator 275, by switching a selected amount of capacitance into (orout of) the LC oscillator 275 (using control words provided by the firstdigital controller 105), in the third reconfigurable, digitalphase-locked loop 300.

The primary switched capacitors 310 and secondary switched digitalvaractors 315 are also correspondingly weighted, due to theircomparative size (via their component transistors 360, 380,respectively), with the comparatively larger capacitor size providing anincreased rise and fall time, thereby providing an increased delay ofthe oscillator stage 270 and a lower oscillation frequency, and with thecomparatively smaller capacitor size providing a decreased rise and falltime, thereby providing a decreased delay of the oscillator stage 270and a higher oscillation frequency, and correspondingly providing alower or higher oscillation (or resonant) frequency for the LCoscillator 275. The primary switched capacitors 310 and secondaryswitched digital varactors 315 thereby are selectable to providedifferent oscillation frequencies, any and all of which can be selectedusing the control signals (high or low voltages, corresponding to thecoefficient values) of the control word (e.g., respectively comprisingthe coefficients [b₀, b₁, b₂, . . . b_(N)] and [c₀, c₁, c₂, . . .c_(N)]) provided by the first digital controller 105 (and/or the thirddigital controller 145). In addition to providing frequency controlthrough the size of the component transistors, and as described ingreater detail below, the secondary switched digital varactors 315 arealso switchable to a selected control voltage level, any and all ofwhich can be selected using the control signals (high or low voltages,corresponding to the coefficient values) of the control word (e.g.,comprising the coefficients [d₀, d₁, d₂, . . . d_(N)]) provided by thefirst digital controller 105 (and/or the third digital controller 145).

In a representative embodiment, the primary switched capacitors 310 areselected (i.e., switched into or out of the oscillator stage 270 and/orLC oscillator 275) to provide a second, comparatively intermediate levelof frequency control of the oscillator stage 270 and/or LC oscillator275, and the secondary switched digital varactors 315 are selected(i.e., switched in or out of the oscillator stage 270 and/or LCoscillator 275) to provide a third, comparatively fine level offrequency control of the oscillator stage 270 and/or LC oscillator 275.The primary switched capacitors 310 and secondary switched digitalvaractors 315 thereby provide, respectively, a second, comparativelyintermediate level of frequency control and a third, comparatively finelevel of frequency control (1) of the first reconfigurable frequency anddelay generator 110 (and/or second reconfigurable frequency and delaygenerator 140) for the first or second reconfigurable, digitalphase-locked loops 100, 200, or (2) for the LC oscillator 275 of thethird reconfigurable, digital phase-locked loop 300.

FIG. 14 is a block and circuit diagram illustrating in greater detail anexemplary or representative embodiment of a primary switched capacitor310 for the first (and/or second) reconfigurable frequency and delaygenerator 110, 140, and/or for the representative capacitive tuningcircuits 195 of the LC oscillator 275, for the first, second and/orthird reconfigurable, digital phase-locked loops 100, 200, 300. Theprimary switched capacitor 310 comprises an n-type transistor 360(illustrated as MOSFETs, although any type of transistor may be utilizedequivalently, as known to those having skill in the art), having itssource and drain coupled to each other and to a ground voltage level (orother predetermined voltage level) to provide a selected level ofcapacitance, and a transmission gate 365 (or any other switching device,such as another transistor), to switch the capacitance provided by thetransistor 360 into or out of the oscillator stage 270 or LC oscillator275, in response to the control signals (high or low voltages,corresponding to the coefficient values) of the control word (e.g.,comprising the coefficients [b₀, b₁, b₂, . . . b_(N)]) provided by thefirst digital controller 105 (and/or the third digital controller 145).

FIG. 15 is a circuit diagram illustrating in greater detail an exemplaryor representative embodiment of a transmission gate 365 for use in theprimary switched capacitors 310 and secondary switched digital varactors315 for the first (and/or second) reconfigurable frequency and delaygenerator 110, 140, and/or for the representative capacitive tuningcircuits 195 of the LC oscillator 275, for the first, second and/orthird reconfigurable, digital phase-locked loops 100, 200, 300. Thetransmission gate 365 comprises a p-type transistor 370 and an n-typetransistor 375 (both illustrated as MOSFETs, although any type oftransistor may be utilized equivalently, as known to those having skillin the art), which have respective gates coupled to receive controlsignals (as respective control voltages corresponding to coefficients ofa control word and an inverse of the coefficient (via inverter 355,which may be embodied as a typical inverter, such is illustrated in FIG.10)), such as the coefficients of a control word [b₀, b₁, b₂, . . .b_(N)] as illustrated for the primary switched capacitors 310, forswitching the capacitance provided by the transistor 360 into or out ofthe oscillator stage 270 or LC oscillator 275, or such as thecoefficients of a control word [c₀, c₁, c₂, . . . c_(N)] as illustratedin FIG. 16, for switching the capacitance provided by the transistor 380into or out of the oscillator stage 270 or LC oscillator 275.

Those having skill in the art will recognize that innumerable othertypes switching devices may be utilized equivalently and in place of atransmission gate 365, such as a single transistor, a multiplexer (e.g.,a 2:1 MUX), and so on. Those having skill in the art will recognize thatinnumerable other types capacitive devices may be utilized equivalentlyand in place of a primary switched capacitor 310, such as a multiplexer(e.g., a 2:1 MUX) which, when on, provides a capacitance to a couplednode, and so on.

FIG. 16 is a block and circuit diagram illustrating in greater detailexemplary or representative embodiments of a voltage controller 320 _(A)and the secondary switched digital varactors 315 _(A) for the first(and/or second) reconfigurable frequency and delay generator 110, 140,and/or for the representative capacitive tuning circuits 195 of the LCoscillator 275, for the first, second and/or third reconfigurable,digital phase-locked loops 100, 200, 300. In a representativeembodiment, the secondary switched digital varactors 315 _(A) comprisesan n-type transistor 380 coupled to a transmission gate 365. The n-typetransistor 380 is illustrated as a MOSFET, although any type of p or ntransistor may be utilized equivalently (e.g., BJT, JFET, etc.), asknown to those having skill in the art. The n-type transistor 380 hasits source and drain coupled to each other, and further coupled to aselected voltage level (provided by the voltage controller 320 _(A)) toprovide a selected level of capacitance (which may be varied by varyingthe gate-to-source voltage of the transistor 380, in this case, throughthe source voltage provided by the voltage controller 320 _(A)). Thetransmission gate 365 (or any other switching device, such as anothertransistor), switches (or transmits) the capacitance provided by thetransistor 380 into or out of the oscillator stage 270 or LC oscillator275, in response to the control signals (high or low voltages,corresponding to the coefficient values) of the control word (e.g.,comprising the coefficients [c₀, c₁, c₂, . . . c_(N)]) provided by thefirst digital controller 105 (and/or the third digital controller 145).

As mentioned above, the weighting of the various primary switchedcapacitors 310 and secondary switched digital varactors 315 may have anyof a plurality of different forms such as, for example and withoutlimitation, binary weighting of different primary switched capacitors310, or the same weighting for all of the primary switched capacitors310, other combinations of different weightings, and binary weighting ofdifferent secondary switched digital varactors 315, or the sameweighting for all of the secondary switched digital varactors 315, othercombinations of different weightings, and so on. In a representativeembodiment, each of the primary switched capacitors 310 have a differentweight, such as binary weightings of “x”, “2x”, “2²x”, “2³x”, though“2^(N)x”, and each of the secondary switched digital varactors 315 havea different weight, such as binary weightings of “x”, “2x”, “2²x”,“2³x”, though “2^(N)x”, or incremental weightings of “x”, “2x”, “3x”,“4x”, though “Nx”, for example and without limitation. In anotherrepresentative embodiment, the primary switched capacitors 310 areequally weighted, and each provides a predetermined step size (such as apredetermined percentage of the input or output frequency (e.g., 0.05%),or a predetermined step size (e.g., a 500 kHz step)) in the oscillationfrequency of the first reconfigurable frequency and delay generator 110and/or second reconfigurable frequency and delay generator 140 and/or LCoscillator 275. In another representative embodiment, the secondaryswitched digital varactors 315 are equally weighted, and together withthe selectable voltages provided by the voltage controllers 320, eachare “tunable” to provide a range of frequency steps (e.g., 10 kHz to 50kHz or 100 kHz) in the oscillation frequency of the first reconfigurablefrequency and delay generator 110, the second reconfigurable frequencyand delay generator 140, and/or the LC oscillator 275. As mentionedabove, any and all combinations of such weightings are within the scopeof the disclosure.

The voltage controller 320 _(A) comprises a plurality of transmissiongates 365 (or any other switching devices, such as other transistors),and a plurality of series-connected, diode-coupled transistors 385, 390,395, 405 (illustrated as p-type and n-type MOSFETs, although any type ofp or n transistor may be utilized equivalently (e.g., BJT, JFET, etc.),as known to those having skill in the art) which form a voltage ladder(or voltage divider, equivalently) 430, generally having a comparativelylow current level and low power consumption. The plurality ofseries-connected, diode-coupled transistors 385, 390, 395, 405 formingthe voltage ladder 430, are coupled (or coupleable) at correspondingnodes 410, 415, and 420, through the plurality of transmission gates365, to the secondary switched digital varactor 315. The plurality ofdiode-coupled transistors 385, 390, 395, 405 are coupled in seriesbetween a comparatively high voltage level, such as the high voltagerail (V_(DD)), and a comparatively low voltage level, such as the lowvoltage rail (ground), to provide a voltage “ladder” having acorresponding plurality of different voltage levels, illustrated as V₁at node 410, V₂ at node 415, and V₃ at node 420, each of which can beselectively switched through a corresponding transmission gate 365(illustrated as corresponding transmission gates 365 ₁, 365 ₂, and 365₃) to the secondary switched digital varactor 315, as illustrated, inresponse to the control signals (high or low voltages, corresponding tothe coefficient values) of the control word (e.g., comprising thecoefficients [d₀, d₁, d₂, . . . d_(N)]) provided by the first digitalcontroller 105 (and/or the third digital controller 145). As result, thevoltage controller 320 _(A) provides a selected or selectable voltagelevel to the coupled source and drain of the transistor 380, therebyvarying the source voltage (and corresponding gate-to-source voltage) ofthe transistor 380, which in turn correspondingly provides a selectedlevel of capacitance which may be switched into (or out of) theoscillator stage 270 and/or LC oscillator 275, (a) to tune theoscillation frequency of the first reconfigurable frequency and delaygenerator 110 (and/or second reconfigurable frequency and delaygenerator 140) for the first and/or second reconfigurable, digitalphase-locked loops 100, 200, or (b) tune the oscillation (resonant)frequency of the LC oscillator 275 for the third reconfigurable, digitalphase-locked loop 300.

A particular advantage of this implementation of the frequency controlinverters 305, primary switched capacitors 310, and secondary switcheddigital varactors 315, is that for any given IC fabrication process,very little process information is required to implement the firstand/or second reconfigurable frequency and delay generator 110, 140,and/or the representative capacitive tuning circuits 195, in theselected fabrication process. For example, analog models are notrequired, and it is sufficient to know the capacitance values per size,e.g., based on oxide thickness. As mentioned above, this allows readyporting and implementation of the first and/or second reconfigurablefrequency and delay generator 110, 140, and/or the representativecapacitive tuning circuits 195 for any selected fabrication process.

Another particular advantage of this implementation of the voltagecontroller 320 _(A) is that the voltage “ladder” 430 has a highimpedance, and appears in the circuitry as a large resistor, effectivelyproviding (with a secondary switched digital varactor 315) a resistor inseries with a capacitor, and produces a corresponding (and usuallycomparatively small) RC delay. Given the oscillation, the voltagecontroller 320 _(A) provides a charge and discharge path useful fortuning the first and/or second reconfigurable frequency and delaygenerator 110, 140 and/or LC oscillator 275, and overall an averagevoltage level across the resistance which on average does not changevery much.

FIG. 17 is a circuit diagram illustrating in greater detail an exemplaryor representative first embodiment of an optional LC oscillator 275 _(A)for the third reconfigurable, digital phase-locked loop 300. FIG. 18 isa block and circuit diagram illustrating in greater detail an exemplaryor representative second embodiment of an optional LC oscillator 275_(B) for the third reconfigurable, digital phase-locked loop 300. FIG.19 is a block diagram illustrating an exemplary or representativeembodiment of the capacitive tuning circuits 195 for the optional LCoscillator 275 for the third reconfigurable, digital phase-locked loop300.

Referring to FIGS. 17-19, the LC oscillator 275 _(A) (illustrated in across-coupled, differential configuration) comprises an inductor 550,first and second capacitive tuning circuits 195 _(A) and 195 _(B)coupled to the inductor 550, with cross-coupled p-transistors 565 _(A)and 565 _(B), and cross-coupled n-transistors 570 _(A) and 570 _(B). Inthe differential configuration, the first and second capacitive tuningcircuits 195 _(A) and 195 _(B) are generally balanced with each other,each providing the same selected amount of capacitance. The p-type andn-type transistors are illustrated as MOSFETs, although any type of p orn transistor may be utilized equivalently (e.g., BJT, JFET, etc.), asknown to those having skill in the art. The LC oscillator 275 _(B) (alsoillustrated in FIG. 18 in a cross-coupled, differential configuration)comprises an inductor 550, capacitive tuning circuits 195 _(A) and 195_(B) coupled to the inductor 550, and with inverters 575 and 580(replacing the cross-coupled p-transistors 565 _(A) and 565 _(B), andcross-coupled n-transistors 570 _(A) and 570 _(B) of FIG. 17).

For the LC oscillators 275 _(A), 275 _(B), the capacitive tuningcircuits 195 _(A) and 195 _(B) are respectively coupled between theinductor 550 (at node 555) and ground, and between inductor 550 (at node560) and ground. As discussed above, each of the capacitive tuningcircuits 195 _(A) and 195 _(B) comprise primary switched capacitors 310,secondary switched digital varactors 315, and voltage controllers 320,which function identically to those utilized in the delay controlcircuits 160. As a result, the capacitive tuning circuits 195 functionas variable capacitors, changing the amount of capacitance coupled tothe inductor 550 and the time constant of oscillation, to select orotherwise tune the oscillation (resonant) frequency of the LC oscillator275 for the third reconfigurable, digital phase-locked loop 300, inresponse to one or more control words provided by the first digitalcontroller 105. Stated another way, the same or similar control signals(control words), provided by the first digital controller 105 to thedelay control circuits 160 for the first and second reconfigurable,digital phase-locked loops 100, 200, may be also be generated by thefirst digital controller 105 to the capacitive tuning circuits 195 _(A)and 195 _(B), to similarly change the output frequency of the LCoscillator 275 for the third reconfigurable, digital phase-locked loop300.

FIG. 20 is a block diagram illustrating in greater detail an exemplaryor representative embodiment of a plurality of oscillator stages 270_(B) (oscillator stage 270 _(B0) through oscillator stage 270 _(BN)) ina ring oscillator circuit structure and an exemplary or representativeembodiment of a phase sampler 170 of the first and/or secondreconfigurable frequency and delay generators 110, 140 for the first orsecond reconfigurable, digital phase-locked loops 100, 200. FIG. 21 is ablock diagram illustrating in greater detail an exemplary orrepresentative embodiment of a plurality of oscillator stages 270 _(B)270 _(B) (oscillator stage 270 _(B0) through oscillator stage 270 _(BN))in a delay line (or delay locked loop) 190 circuit structure and anexemplary or representative embodiment of a phase sampler 170 _(A) ofthe first and/or second reconfigurable frequency and delay generators110, 140 for the third reconfigurable, digital phase-locked loop 300.

Other components of the oscillator stages 270 discussed above, and thereconfigurable phase interpolators 165, have been intentionally omittedfrom the illustration of FIGS. 20 and 21, both to focus on phasesampling by a representative embodiment of a phase sampler 170 and alsoto illustrate use of single-ended, non-differential inverters within anoscillator stage 270; those having skill in the art will recognize thatany and all of such components and/or differential variations may beincluded, however, for example and without limitation. In addition, theplurality of oscillator stages 270 _(B) are illustrated simply assingle-ended inverters, e.g., an inverter 330, for purposes ofdiscussion and to simply illustrated suitable oscillation phasesrepresentative of any implementation of a ring oscillator circuitstructure, and those having skill in the art will recognize that theother components of an oscillator stage 270 described above arerepresented implicitly.

Referring to FIGS. 20 and 21, in a representative embodiment, the phasesampler 170 may be implemented as a “time-to-digital converter” (“TDC”)or “position-to-digital converter” using a plurality of flip-flops 425,illustrated as D flip-flops, although any type of flip-flop or registermay be used equivalently. In addition to being fed to a next oscillatorstage 270 (or back to the first oscillator stage 270), each output froman oscillator stage 270 (or intervening phase interpolator 165) is alsoinput to a corresponding, separate flip-flop 425, via wires, lines orbus 465, illustrated as wires or lines 465 ₀, 465 ₁, 465 ₂, 465 ₃,through 465 _(N), and each flip-flop 425 is clocked by the inputfrequency reference, f_(REF) (in FIG. 20) and the output frequencyf_(OUT) (in FIG. 21). Accordingly, every clock cycle of the frequencyreference f_(REF) (or output frequency f_(OUT)), each flip-flop 425 willoutput a value (e.g., a low voltage (binary 0) or a high voltage (binary1), on bus 175) representing the sampled phase of the correspondingoscillator stage 270 _(B), illustrated as a plurality of sampled phases(Sφ, as Sφ[0], Sφ[1], Sφ[2], Sφ[3], through Sφ[N], indicative of wherethe leading edge (e.g., rising edge) of the oscillation is in thereconfigurable oscillator 110, 140, i.e., the position of the leadingedge of the oscillation is in the reconfigurable oscillator 110, 140.The transition in phase, as indicated by the plurality of sampled phases(Sφ), e.g., from a 1 to a 0 or from a 0 to a 1, indicates whether andwhere in the reconfigurable oscillator 110, 140 there may be a phasedifference, if any, between the frequency reference f_(REF) and theoscillator output f_(OUT), i.e., the phase of the reconfigurableoscillator 110, 140 with respect to the frequency reference f_(REF). Forexample, a 1 (or 0) output from an oscillator stage 270 _((N−1)) with a1 (or 0) output from an oscillator stage 270 _((N)) would indicate thatthe phase has just changed at oscillator stage 270 _((N−1)) and will bechanging next at oscillator stage 270 _((N)). Also for example, for anygiven oscillator stage 270, an output transition over time of a seriesof 1's to a 0, or vice-versa, also indicates a phase transition, e.g.,111110000011111. The plurality of sampled phases generated by thisembodiment of the phase sampler 170 provide information as to theposition of the leading edge of the oscillation, among the plurality ofoscillator stages 270 (e.g., as coupled in a ring oscillatorconfiguration), relative to the last oscillator stage 270 _(N)(oscillator stage 270 _(BN)), within the reconfigurable oscillator 110,140, and this information is output on bus 175 to the binary encoder205, which will convert this positional phase information into a binaryrepresentation, as discussed in greater detail below.

For example, for the delay line (or delay locked loop) 190 embodimentillustrated in FIG. 21, the phase sampler 170 _(A) is clocked at outputfrequency f_(OUT), which may be from either the LC oscillator 275 or thelast oscillator stage 270 _(N) (oscillator stage 270 _(BN)). Theplurality of sampled phases generated by this embodiment of the phasesampler 170 _(A) provide information as to the position of the leadingedge of the oscillation, among the plurality of oscillator stages 270(e.g., as coupled in a series-connected delay line configuration),relative to the last oscillator stage 270 _(N). When the period of theLC oscillator 275 matches the period of the delay line (or delay lockedloop) 190, assuming an eight (8) stage delay line as an example, thesampled phases from the phase sampler 170 _(A) will alternate between00001111 and 10000111. The position of the “10” shows where the leadingedge is in the delay line (or delay locked loop) 190. When the delaythrough the delay line (or delay locked loop) 190 matches the period ofthe input (from the LC oscillator 275) to the delay line (or delaylocked loop) 190, the leading edge will occur at the input to the firstoscillator stage 270 ₁. Similarly, when the delay of the delay line (ordelay locked loop) 190 matches the period of the output from the LCoscillator 275, the leading edge from the last oscillator stage 270 _(N)will be coincidental with the output from the LC oscillator 275.

FIG. 22 is a block diagram illustrating in greater detail an exemplaryor representative embodiment of a configurable or reconfigurable phaseinterpolator 165 _(A) of the first and/or second reconfigurablefrequency and delay generators 110, 140 for the first, second and/orthird reconfigurable, digital phase-locked loops 100, 200, 300. FIG. 23is a block diagram illustrating in greater detail an exemplary orrepresentative embodiment of a non-configurable or non-reconfigurablephase interpolator 165 _(B) of the first and/or second reconfigurablefrequency and delay generators 110, 140 for the first, second and/orthird reconfigurable, digital phase-locked loops 100, 200, 300. FIG. 24is a block diagram illustrating in greater detail an exemplary orrepresentative second interpolator stage 450 for the various embodimentsof a configurable or non-configurable phase interpolator 165 of thefirst and/or second reconfigurable frequency and delay generators 110,140 for the first, second and/or third reconfigurable, digitalphase-locked loops 100, 200, 300.

In a first representative embodiment, the output of the each oscillatorstage 270 is provided directly to the phase sampler 170, without a phaseinterpolator 165, as illustrated in FIGS. 20 and 21. In a secondrepresentative embodiment, the output of the each oscillator stage 270is provided (via wires or bus 467), first, to a phase interpolator 165_(B) (which also may be reconfigurable, as an option), and then theinterpolated phases are provided (via wires or bus 472) to the phasesampler 170, as illustrated in FIG. 23. In a third representativeembodiment, the output of the each oscillator stage 270 is provided,first, to a first interpolator stage 440 of a reconfigurable phaseinterpolator 165 _(A) (which may be configurable or reconfigurable, forboth the number of interpolation stages and/or for a plurality ofconfigurable or reconfigurable oscillator stages), and then theinterpolated phases are provided to the phase sampler 170, asillustrated in FIG. 22. An optional, additional second interpolatorstage 450, a plurality of which may be utilized in either the second orthird embodiments phase interpolator 165 _(B), 165 _(A), is illustratedin FIG. 24, and would be included between the first interpolator stage440 and the phase sampler 170.

Referring to FIG. 22, a reconfigurable phase interpolator 165 _(A) iscoupled between the plurality of oscillator stages 270 and the phasesampler 170. The reconfigurable phase interpolator 165 _(A) comprisesone or more interpolator stages, illustrated as a first interpolatorstage 440 and a second interpolator stage 450, one or more multiplexersor other controllable switches (such as transmission gates 365 or anytype of transistors, as described above), illustrated as a fourthmultiplexer 435 and a fifth multiplexer 445, and an optionaldemultiplexer 455. The fourth and fifth multiplexers 435, 445 may beimplemented as multiplexer circuits as known or becomes known in theart. While illustrated with two interpolator stages 440, 450 and twomultiplexers 435, 445, those having skill in the art will recognize thata lesser or greater number of interpolator stages and/or multiplexersmay be utilized equivalently, and any and all such combinations arewithin the scope of the disclosure. Each multiplexer 435, 445 isconfigured to switch the outputs from an oscillator stages 270 (on bus465) either to a next interpolator stage, e.g., respectively to thefirst interpolator stage 440 and the second interpolator stage 450, ordirectly to the phase sampler 170, bypassing one or more interpolatorstages, in response to configuration parameters or in response to aplurality of control signals (high or low voltages, corresponding to thecoefficient values) of the control word (e.g., comprising thecoefficients [e₀, e₁, e₂, . . . e_(N)]) provided by the first digitalcontroller 105. Depending on the selected embodiment, an optionaldemultiplexer 455 may also be utilized, so select which signals areprovided to the phase sampler 170, such as the direct outputs from theoscillator stages 270, or the interpolated phases from the firstinterpolator stage 440 or the second interpolator stage 450. By usingthe reconfigurable phase interpolator 165 _(A), user-selectable controlover the desired or allowable jitter level is provided. A representativefirst interpolator stage 440 is illustrated in FIG. 23, as phaseinterpolator 165 _(B). A repeating unit of a representative secondinterpolator stage 450 is illustrated in FIG. 24.

Referring to FIGS. 23 and 24, an interpolator stage 440 comprises aplurality of inverters 460 (e.g., implemented as shown in FIG. 10 usingtwo transistors 335, 340 coupled in an inverter configuration as shown),which may be coupled to each other in two different ways, illustrated ina buffer configuration 470 for a single phase (e.g., φ1, φ4, φ7) from asingle oscillator stage 270, and a tree configuration 475 for multiplephases (e.g., φ0, φ2, φ3, φ5, φ6, φ8) from two consecutive oscillatorstages 270, with a lesser or greater number of inverters 460 (coupled inbuffer configurations 470 and coupled in tree configurations 475)utilized depending upon the number of oscillator stages 270.

Similarly, an interpolator stage 450 also comprises a plurality ofinverters 460 (e.g., implemented as shown in FIG. 10 using twotransistors 335, 340 coupled in an inverter configuration as shown),also coupled to each other in a buffer configuration 470 for a singlephase (e.g., φ11 from φ1) from a either a single oscillator stage 270 ora next phase, and a tree configuration 475 for multiple phases (e.g.,φ12 from φ1 and φ2, φ21 from φ1 and φ2) from either two consecutiveoscillator stages 270 or from two successive phases, also with a lesseror greater number of inverters 460 (coupled in buffer configurations 470and coupled in tree configurations 475) utilized depending upon thenumber of oscillator stages 270. For example, multiple implementationsof an interpolator stage 450 may be utilized, and is illustrated, forexample, to be a next interpolator stage coupled to receive φ1 and φ2from interpolator stage 440 illustrated in FIG. 23, with additionalinterpolator stages 450, each of which is respectively coupled toreceive φ3 and φ4 from interpolator stage 440, φ5 and φ6 frominterpolator stage 440, φ7 and φ8 from interpolator stage 440, and soon, to provide additional, second order phase interpolation.

As discussed above, the resulting phase information from the firstinterpolator stage 440 or the second interpolator stage 450 (or anyadditional interpolator stages, not separately illustrated) is providedto the phase sampler 170, to sample each of these interpolated phases.The plurality of sampled phases generated by this embodiment of thephase sampler 170 also provides information as to the position of theleading edge of the oscillation, among the plurality of oscillatorstages 270 (e.g., as coupled in a ring oscillator configuration), withinthe reconfigurable oscillator 110, 140, and this information is outputon bus 175 to the binary encoder 205, which will convert this positionalphase information into a binary representation, as discussed in greaterdetail below. For example and without limitation, for a reconfigurableoscillator 110, 140 having five oscillator stages 270 coupled in a ringoscillator configuration, without phase interpolation for this example,an output from the phase sampler 170 may consist of 01101, indicatingthe leading edge of the oscillation has occurred at the output of thesecond oscillator stage 270, while an output from the phase sampler 170may consist of 01011, indicating the leading edge of the oscillation hasoccurred at the output of the fourth oscillator stage 270. Finer-grainedinformation is provided with phase interpolation, but is nonethelessinformation for the position of the phase of the oscillation among theplurality of oscillator stages 270.

In turn, the binary encoder 205 of the first digital controller 105converts or encodes this phase positional information into or as abinary value, which is then output on line or bus 207. Continuing withthe example above, the output from the phase sampler 170 of 01011,indicating the leading edge of the oscillation has occurred at theoutput of the fourth oscillator stage 270, may be encoded and outputfrom the binary encoder 205 as a binary four, 0100 (or 100), for exampleand without limitation. There are innumerable equivalent ways toimplement the binary encoder 205, such as a state machine or as a lookup table, or using conditional or combinational logic gates, for exampleand without limitation, any and all of which are considered equivalentand within the scope of the disclosure.

As mentioned above, the first digital controller 105 also receivesfrequency feedback of the output, having a frequency f_(OUT), provideddirectly to the gray code counter 210, which is also clocked by theoutput at the output frequency, f_(OUT), so that a count is provided forevery edge (e.g., leading or rising edge) of the output oscillation asan estimate of the output frequency, f_(OUT), regardless of whether theoutput signal is provided by the LC oscillator 275 or by the firstand/or second reconfigurable frequency and delay generators 110, 140.The gray code counter 210 is implemented as a counter, as known orbecomes known in the art, but which counts using a gray code rather thana binary code, in which only one bit of successive values is allowed totransition, e.g., 000 to 001 to 011 to 010 to 110 to 100 in gray code,rather than 000 to 001 to 010 to 011 to 100 to 101 to 110, etc., ofbinary code. Any suitable or selectable gray code may be utilized, andprovides several advantages. First, it may be clocked at the outputfrequency, f_(OUT), which may be at a very high frequency (e.g., GHz),but because only one bit is changing or transitioning at a time, therapid counting does not exhaust the capabilities of the fabricationtechnology, which may not be able to transition from high to low andimmediately again from low to high at such high frequencies. Anotheradded advantage of using the gray code counter 210 in the representativeembodiments is error detection, because any successive counts which havemore than one bit transition indicates an error. In a representativeembodiment, as discussed in greater detail below, several successivegray code counts are utilized, to provide not only error detection butalso error correction, using optional error correction circuit 260. Inaddition, as discussed above, the gray code counting using gray codecounter 210 and optional error correction circuit 260 is also helpfulfor crossing clock domains, from clocking at the output frequency,f_(OUT), to clocking at the reference frequency, f_(REF).

As the gray code counter 210 is counting the leading or rising edge ofthe output oscillation as an estimate of the output frequency, f_(OUT),one or more successive then-current counts of gray code counter 210 aresampled by gray code sampler 215 (via wires or bus 268, and which may beclocked at either the input reference frequency f_(REF) or the outputfrequency, f_(OUT), as discussed above) to provide one or more gray codesamples (and when error correction is implemented, successive gray codesamples are also stored in one or more gray code registers 285, as anoption). The gray code sampler 215 may be implemented using any of aplurality of different circuits, such as using a plurality of switches(e.g., any type of transistors), with each switch or transistor (ortransmission gate) passing one bit, or using a plurality of flip-flops,such as illustrated for the phase sampler 170, any and all of which areconsidered equivalent and within the scope of the disclosure. In arepresentative embodiment, successive gray code samples (from gray codesampler 215) are stored in one or more gray code registers 285, whichare then provided either to the error correction circuit 260 (via wiresor bus 262, and then to the gray code-to-binary converter 220, via wiresor bus 264) or directly to the gray code-to-binary converter 220, viawires or bus 266.

There are several alternative embodiments for the gray code sampler 215and gray code registers 285 within the scope of the disclosure. Inanother, second embodiment, using bus 287 illustrated in FIG. 4,successive grey code count values from the gray code counter 210 areshifted directly into gray code registers 285 (also clocked at theoutput frequency, f_(OUT)), which may be implemented as first-in,first-out (FIFO) registers, for example and without limitation. Also forexample and without limitation, the registers may be implemented as aseries of several sets of flip-flops for each bit position, one set offlip-flops having an input to receive the then-current gray code countbits (at time t), with its outputs provided to the next, second set offlip-flops (storing values at time t−1), with its outputs provided tothe next, third set of flip-flops (storing values at time t−2), creatinga delay line storing three successive gray code counts, as delayedsamples. The gray code sampler 215, clocked at the reference frequency,f_(REF), is implemented as one or more switches (e.g., using any of thetransistors or transmission gates discussed above), and switches orshifts the stored, successive grey code count values from the gray coderegisters 285, so that a plurality of successive grey code count valuesare switched generally concurrently (or in parallel), either to theerror correction circuit 260 (and then to the gray code-to-binaryconverter 220) or directly to the gray code-to-binary converter 220.

In yet another, third embodiment, the gray code sampler 215, clocked atthe reference frequency, f_(REF), is also implemented as one or moreswitches, and switches or shifts the one or more, or successive, greycode count values directly from the gray code counter 210, which arethen also provided either to the error correction circuit 260 (and thento the gray code-to-binary converter 220) or directly to the graycode-to-binary converter 220. These various embodiments advantageouslyallow the gray code sampler 215 to operate in a different, generallyslower clock domain than the gray code counter 210.

In a representative embodiment, the error correction circuit 260 isimplemented to check successive gray code counts, sampled from the graycode registers 285 at the reference frequency, f_(REF), determine if anycount has more than one bit transition, and if so, the error correctioncircuit 260 determines that an error occurred. For example, the errorcorrection circuit 260 may be implemented using conditional orcombinational logic gates and a bank or plurality of exclusive or (XOR)gates, one for each bit position, or one or more comparators, such thatonly one XOR gate or comparator should indicate different input bitvalues between successive counts, and if more than one, then an errorhas occurred. In a representative embodiment, with at least three graycode count samples, the erroneous sample may by determined (if any), anddiscarded or otherwise not passed to the gray code-to-binary converter220.

In turn, the gray code-to-binary converter 220 of the first digitalcontroller 105 converts or encodes these gray code samples into or as abinary value, which is then output on line or bus 209. There areinnumerable equivalent ways to implement the gray code-to-binaryconverter 220, such as a state machine or as a look up table, or usingconditional or combinational logic gates, for example and withoutlimitation, any and all of which are considered equivalent and withinthe scope of the disclosure.

The output binary value from the gray code-to-binary converter 220,indicative of a count corresponding to the output frequency, f_(OUT),and the output binary value from the binary encoder 205, indicative ofthe phase of the output frequency, f_(OUT), are added or otherwisecombined to form a combined feedback binary value, using adder (orcombiner) 225. Typically, the phase of the output frequency, f_(OUT), isprovided in the least significant bits of the combined feedback binaryvalue (e.g., in the binary equivalent of decimal places or fractions).The adder (or combiner) 225 may be implemented using combinational logicgates as known or becomes known in the electronic arts. For example andwithout limitation, in a representative embodiment, the adder (orcombiner) 225 may be implemented to merely concatenate the two outputbinary values to provide the combined feedback binary value (e.g., as[frequency binary count, phase binary count]).

Generally concurrently, the reference signal from the reference clock(or oscillator) 95, input into the reference counter (or accumulator)235, to generate a reference frequency count, has been multiplied (ordivided) by multiplier 230 (providing a multiplied count indicative ofthe user-selected or otherwise configurable or reconfigurable desiredfrequency, e.g., multiplied by a value “M”, generally determined by orderived from configuration parameters), with the multiplied referencefrequency count (e.g., M·f_(REF)), generally accumulating over multipleclock cycles. As mentioned above, the multiplied reference frequencycount is then compared with the combined frequency and phase feedbackbinary value, namely, the multiplied reference frequency count iscompared with the combined frequency and phase feedback count, by thecomparator (adder or subtractor) 240, to determine an amount of error,if any, as an error amount, value or count which is indicative of thedifference (if any) between both the frequency and phase of the outputsignal having output frequency f_(OUT) compared to the multipliedreference frequency (M·f_(REF)). The multiplier 230, the referencecounter (or accumulator) 235, and the comparator (adder or subtractor)240 may be implemented using combinational logic gates as known orbecomes known in the electronic arts.

As an available alternative or option, such as when a second digitalcontroller 135 is implemented using the circuitry of a first digitalcontroller 105, the comparator (adder or subtractor) 240 may also add inan additional error, second configurable error signal φ_(ERR2) (650). Asdiscussed in greater detail below, this second configurable error signalφ_(ERR2) is inserted or injected by the second digital controller 135into the feedback loop providing control signals to the secondreconfigurable frequency and delay generator 140 of the reconfigurablePLL 200, and is utilized to generate an output signal having an outputfrequency which has a fractional offset from an integer multiple of thereference frequency.

The resulting error count (or error signal) is provided via line or bus243 to the programmable digital filter 250, which generally comprisesboth combinational logic gates and optionally memory circuitry 120A(e.g., registers to store various parameters and the resulting errorcount) (which also may be implemented using memory 120), to performdigital filtering of the error count, and to increment or decrement thevarious control words (which might be stored in memory circuitry orregisters) or control signals to increase or decrease the amount ofdelay provided in each of the oscillator stages 270. Based on the errorcount and the desired frequency, the programmable digital filter 250generates (or modifies) one or more control words or signals to thereconfigurable oscillator 155 and the delay control circuits 160 (or tothe capacitive tuning circuits 195), for the output frequency f_(OUT) tomatch and lock to the desired frequency (as a multiple of the referencefrequency f_(REF)) and match and lock to the phase of the referencefrequency f_(REF) provided by the reference clock (or oscillator) 95. Ina representative embodiment, the output of the programmable digitalfilter 250 will converge to a stable value (with the plurality ofcontrol words or signals also stabilizing), the average error count willconverge to zero, and the frequency f_(OUT) will settle and lock to itsselected frequency, and match and lock to the phase of the referencefrequency f_(REF), within about 400-1,000 clock cycles (at the referencefrequency f_(REF)), for example and without limitation, depending uponthe filter coefficients of the programmable digital filter 250.

FIG. 25 is a block diagram illustrating in greater detail an exemplaryor representative programmable digital filter 250 with a firstconfigurable filter 590 _(A) for the first digital controller 105 forthe first, second or third reconfigurable, digital phase-locked loops100, 200, 300. FIG. 26 is a block diagram illustrating in greater detailan exemplary or representative second configurable filter 590 _(B) of aprogrammable digital filter 250 for the first digital controller 105 forthe first, second or third reconfigurable, digital phase-locked loops100, 200, 300. FIG. 27 is a block diagram illustrating in greater detailan exemplary or representative third configurable filter 590 _(C) of aprogrammable digital filter 250 for the first digital controller 105 forthe first, second or third reconfigurable, digital phase-locked loops100, 200, 300. FIG. 28 is a block diagram illustrating in greater detailan exemplary or representative fourth configurable filter 590 _(D) of aprogrammable digital filter 250 for the first digital controller 105 forthe first, second or third reconfigurable, digital phase-locked loops100, 200, 300. FIG. 29 is a block diagram illustrating in greater detailan exemplary or representative fifth configurable filter 590 _(E) of aprogrammable digital filter 250 for the first digital controller 105 forthe first, second or third reconfigurable, digital phase-locked loops100, 200, 300. FIG. 30 is a block diagram illustrating in greater detailan exemplary or representative sixth configurable filter 590 _(F) of aprogrammable digital filter 250 for the first digital controller 105 forthe first, second or third reconfigurable, digital phase-locked loops100, 200, 300.

A representative programmable digital filter 250 comprises aconfigurable filter 590 (illustrated in FIG. 25 using first configurablefilter 590 _(A)), and generally also a memory 120A (as an option) and acoefficient generator 530, depending upon the embodiment. Any of thevarious configurable filters 590 may be utilized in the programmabledigital filter 250, including any of the first configurable filter 590_(A), second configurable filter 590 _(B), third configurable filter 590_(C), fourth configurable filter 590 _(D), fifth configurable filter 590_(E), or sixth configurable filter 590 _(F), for example and withoutlimitation.

Depending upon the representative embodiment, the programmable digitalfilter 250 may be coupled to the user interface controller 115 toreceive the various user-selectable configuration parameters (orspecifications) for selection of: (1) the desired frequency f_(OUT) ofthe output signal; (2) bandwidth (for noise suppression); (3) frequencyaccuracy or Q value; (4) frequency resolution (frequency increments,such as the minimum capacitance values and minimum voltage incrementsfor tuning the frequency); (5) number of stages; (6) jitter level orscale (phase increments for phase locking); (7) power consumption;and/or (8) fractional frequency selection, for example and withoutlimitation. These configuration parameters may be stored in either orboth the memory 120, or the optional memory 120A of or coupled to theprogrammable digital filter 250. Other parameters may also be stored inthe memories 120, 120A, such as for frequency control over voltage andtemperature (from feedback from voltage or temperature sensors, notseparately illustrated). The user interface controller 115 and/orprogrammable digital filter 250 may be implemented using combinationallogic gates, and more generally as one or more processors, as describedin greater detail below. The optional memory 120A may be implemented asdescribed in greater detail below, or as a pair of cross-coupledinverters 330 to provide a fault-tolerant memory 120A, such as the pairof cross-coupled inverters 330 having the circuit configurationillustrated in FIG. 9 with inverters 330 ₃ and 330 ₄.

Depending upon the representative embodiment, the varioususer-selectable configuration parameters may take any of various forms.For example, in a first representative embodiment, the varioususer-selectable configuration parameters are converted or translateddirectly to coefficients of the various control words and otherparameters discussed below (e.g., number of stages, N, K_(P), K₁), withsuch conversion or translation performed externally to the first, secondor third reconfigurable, digital phase-locked loops 100, 200, 300 andinput directly into the memory 120 or the user interface controller 115and its associated memory 120. Also for example, in a secondrepresentative embodiment, the various user-selectable configurationparameters are input directly into the user interface controller 115 andits associated memory 120, and are converted or translated directly tocoefficients of the various control words and other control parametersdiscussed below (e.g., number of stages, N, K_(P), K₁), with suchconversion or translation performed by the user interface controller 115and/or the programmable digital filter 250, with the resultingcoefficients and other parameters respectively stored in the one or moreassociated memories 120, 120A. Continuing with the example, the varioususer-selectable configuration parameters may be converted or translatedinto the various control words and other control parameters using a lookup table stored in the one or more associated memories 120, 120A, or maybe calculated or otherwise determined directly by the user interfacecontroller 115 and/or the programmable digital filter 250, such as whenthe user interface controller 115 and/or the programmable digital filter250 are implemented as processors, and provided (via bus 123) to any ofthe various first digital controller 105, the first reconfigurablefrequency and delay generator 110, the second digital controller 135and/or the second reconfigurable frequency and delay generator 140,depending upon the selected embodiment. For example and withoutlimitation, depending on the selected embodiment, control coefficients(control words or signals) may be provided directly by the userinterface controller 115, or via the programmable digital filter 250, tothe first and/or second reconfigurable frequency and delay generators110, 140 for selection of the number of oscillator stages 270, selectionof the reconfigurable phase interpolators, and so on.

The user interface controller 115, which also may be implemented as aprocessor, converts or translates the various user-selectableconfiguration parameters into a form useable by the various componentsof the first digital controller 105, such as converting the desiredfrequency f_(our) into a multiple “N” of the reference frequency (withor without a fractional component, as described in greater detailbelow), provided to the multiplier 230. Other user-selectableconfiguration parameters are converted or translated into some of thevarious control coefficients, control signals and other controlparameters and provided to or determined by the programmable digitalfilter 250 having a configurable filter 590, such as for user selectionof the number of oscillator stages 270, bandwidth (for noisesuppression), and jitter levels resulting in corresponding selection ofone or more reconfigurable phase interpolators 165, frequencyresolution, power consumption, and so on.

In a representative embodiment, the user-selectable bandwidth parameteris mapped to corresponding gain coefficients, a first gain stage 505using a first internal gain coefficient K_(P) and a second gain stage510 using a second internal gain coefficient K_(I), which are part of afeedback loop 525, illustrated as part of a configurable filter 590_(A). The feedback loop 525 receives the resulting error count (or errorsignal), and using the resulting error count (or error signal) generatesthe corresponding gains using first and second gain stages 505, 510. Afirst gain is generated by the first gain stage 505 using the firstinternal gain coefficient K_(P). The second gain from the second gainstage 510 using the second internal gain coefficient K_(I) isaccumulated, using accumulator 515 (e.g., counter or adder), and theaccumulated second gain is subtracted or offset from the first gain(using comparator or subtractor 520) to generate one or more controlfeedback values or signals, which in turn are converted (by coefficientgenerator 530, together with other parameters stored in memory 120A)into the various control coefficients and other control parametersdiscussed above, such as to select capacitance levels, voltage levels,and so on.

Other configurable filters 590 are illustrated in FIGS. 26-30,implementing, as examples:

(1) H(z)=K_(P) (configurable filter 590 _(B) in FIG. 26);

(2) H(z)=K_(P)+K_(I)/(1−z⁻¹) (configurable filters 590 _(A) in FIG. 25and 590 _(C) in FIG. 27);

(3) H(z)=K₀+K₁/(1−z⁻¹)+K₂/(1−z⁻²) (configurable filter 590 _(D) in FIG.28);

(4) H(z)=K₀+K₁z⁻¹ (configurable filter 590 _(E) in FIG. 29); and

(5) H(z)=K₀+K₁z⁻¹+K₂z⁻² (configurable filter 590 _(F) in FIG. 30).

As illustrated in FIGS. 26-30, any of these filters may be implementedusing the relevant gain coefficients (e.g., K_(P) (505), K_(I) (510), K₀(605), K₁ (610), K₂ (635)), one or more delay blocks 595 (e.g., eachimplemented using a flip-flop), one or more accumulators 515, and one ormore adders 520, to implement virtually any linear digital filterfunction. In addition, any of these various configurable filters 590 mayalso be utilized equivalently in the digital loop filter 540 (of thesecond digital controller 135) or in the third digital controller 145.Any of these configurable filters 590 or equivalent filters may beutilized in a programmable digital filter 250, and all such variationsare within the scope of the disclosure.

FIG. 31 is a block diagram illustrating in greater detail an exemplaryor representative second embodiment of a configurable or reconfigurableoscillator 155A of the first reconfigurable frequency and delaygenerator 110 (and/or second reconfigurable frequency and delaygenerator 140) for the first or second reconfigurable, digitalphase-locked loops 100, 200.

FIG. 32 is a block diagram illustrating in greater detail an exemplaryor representative third embodiment of a configurable or reconfigurableoscillator 155B of the first reconfigurable frequency and delaygenerator 110 (and/or second reconfigurable frequency and delaygenerator 140) for the first or second reconfigurable, digitalphase-locked loops 100, 200. Any of these reconfigurable oscillators155A, 155B may also be utilized in the third reconfigurable, digitalphase-locked loop 300 to form a reconfigurable delay line or delaylocked loop (190) by eliminating the feedback line (615 or 620,respectively) to the first oscillator stage 270 _(C1) from the lastoscillator stage 270 _(C3). As mentioned above, these variousconfigurations of the reconfigurable oscillator or delay line 155, 190may be selected using the configuration parameters.

A representative configurable or reconfigurable oscillator 155Acomprises a plurality of oscillator stages 270 _(C) in a ring oscillatorcircuit structure, and depending upon the types of inverters 330, 305which are utilized in each oscillator stage 270 _(C), optionally mayalso include a plurality of switches 480, 485, 490, 495. For example,when switched inverters 305 _(B) are not utilized, and other types ofnon-switched inverters (e.g., 330) are utilized instead, then theplurality of switches 480, 485, 490, 495 are included, as illustrated inFIG. 32. Other components of the oscillator stages 270 discussed above,along with the phase sampler 170 and the reconfigurable phaseinterpolators 165, have been intentionally omitted from theillustrations of FIGS. 31 and 32, both to focus on the configurabilityof the configurable or reconfigurable oscillators 155A, 155B fordifferent numbers of oscillator stages 270 _(C) and also to illustrateuse of single-ended, non-differential inverters within an oscillatorstage 270 _(C); those having skill in the art will recognize that anyand all of such components and/or differential variations may beincluded, however, for example and without limitation. In addition, theplurality of oscillator stages 270 _(C) are illustrated simply assingle-ended inverters, e.g., inverters 330 or switched inverters 305_(B), for purposes of discussion and to simply illustrated suitableoscillation phases representative of any implementation of a ringoscillator circuit structure, and those having skill in the art willrecognize that the other components of an oscillator stage 270 describedabove are represented implicitly.

As illustrated in FIG. 31, through the use of the switched inverters 305_(B), the configurable or reconfigurable oscillator 155A may beconfigured for three stages, five stages, or seven stages, in responseto or based upon the configuration parameters and/or control signals(control word(s)), e.g., comprising the coefficients [f₀, f₁, f₂, f₃,f₄, f₅, . . . f_(N)]) provided as configuration parameters or generatedby the first digital controller 105, which may be further in response toconfiguration parameters input by a user. Using switched inverters 305_(B), three oscillator stages 270 _(C) are included in the ringoscillator circuit structure, namely, oscillator stage 270 _(C1),oscillator stage 270 _(C2), and oscillator stage 270 _(C3), whencoefficient f₀ is high (=1) and its inverse is low (=0). Using switchedinverters 305 _(B), five oscillator stages 270 _(C) are in the ringoscillator circuit structure, namely, oscillator stage 270 _(C1),oscillator stage 270 _(C4), oscillator stage 270 _(C5), oscillator stage270 _(C6), and oscillator stage 270 _(C3), when coefficient f₀ is low(=0) (and its inverse is high (=1)) and coefficient f₁ is high (=1) andits inverse is low (=0). Again using switched inverters 305 _(B), sevenoscillator stages 270 _(C) are in the ring oscillator circuit structure,namely, oscillator stage 270 _(C1), oscillator stage 270 _(C4),oscillator stage 270 _(C7), oscillator stage 270 _(C8), oscillator stage270 _(C9), oscillator stage 270 _(C6), and oscillator stage 270 _(C3),when coefficient f₀ is low (=0) (and its inverse is high (=1)) andcoefficient f₁ is low (=0) (and its inverse is high (=1)) andcoefficient f₂ is high (=1).

When non-switched inverters are utilized, such as when inverters 330 areutilized for the oscillator stages 270 _(C) as illustrated in FIG. 32,through the use of the plurality of switches 480, 485, 490, 495, theconfigurable or reconfigurable oscillator 155B may be configured forthree stages, five stages, or seven stages, also in response to or basedupon the configuration parameters and/or control signals (controlword(s)), e.g., comprising the coefficients [f₀, f₁, f₂, f₃, f₄, f₅, . .. f_(N)]) provided as configuration parameters or generated by the firstdigital controller 105, which may be further in response toconfiguration parameters input by a user. Using inverters 330, threeoscillator stages 270 _(C) are included in the ring oscillator circuitstructure, namely, oscillator stage 270 _(C1), oscillator stage 270_(C2), and oscillator stage 270 _(C3), when coefficient f₃ is high (=1)and its inverse is low (=0). Using inverters 330, five oscillator stages270 _(C) are in the ring oscillator circuit structure, namely,oscillator stage 270 _(C1), oscillator stage 270 _(C4), oscillator stage270 _(C5), oscillator stage 270 _(C6), and oscillator stage 270 _(C3),when coefficient f₃ is low (=0) (and its inverse is high (=1)) andcoefficient f₄ is high (=1) and its inverse is low (=0). Again usinginverters 330, seven oscillator stages 270 _(C) are in the ringoscillator circuit structure, namely, oscillator stage 270 _(C1),oscillator stage 270 _(C4), oscillator stage 270 _(C7), oscillator stage270 _(C8), oscillator stage 270 _(C9), oscillator stage 270 _(C6), andoscillator stage 270 _(C3), when coefficient f₃ is low (=0) (and itsinverse is high (=1)) and coefficient f₄ is low (=0) (and its inverse ishigh (=1).

For fractional multiples of the reference frequency f_(REF), thosehaving skill in the art will recognize that sigma-delta modulation canbe added into the circuitry illustrated and discussed above withreference to FIGS. 1 and 4, as known in the art. Referring to FIG. 2,instead of using sigma-delta modulation for fractional multiples of thereference frequency f_(REF), in a representative embodiment, a seconddigital controller 135 and a second reconfigurable frequency and delaygenerator 140 are cascaded following the first digital controller 105and the first reconfigurable frequency and delay generator 110. Thefirst reconfigurable frequency and delay generator 110 (or the LCoscillator circuitry 275), under the control of the first digitalcontroller 105, provides a first output signal having a first outputfrequency f_(OUT1), which is an integer multiple of the referencefrequency f_(REF), as discussed above. The second reconfigurablefrequency and delay generator 140, under the control of the seconddigital controller 135, provides a second output signal having a secondoutput frequency f_(OUT2), which is a fractional multiple of thereference frequency f_(REF), i.e., a fractional offset from an integer(“M”) multiple of the reference frequency (e.g., M·f_(REF)·Δf, where Δfis the selected fractional offset). In this way, the firstreconfigurable frequency and delay generator 110 locks quickly andrapidly produces the first output signal having a first output frequencyf_(OUT1), which is typically higher frequency than the referencefrequency f_(REF). The higher first output signal having a first outputfrequency f_(OUT), which is then fed to the second digital controller135 and the second reconfigurable frequency and delay generator 140,then enables a greater fractional resolution to produce the secondoutput signal having a second output frequency f_(OUT2), which is afractional offset or a fractional multiple of the reference frequencyf_(REF), without the need for any sigma-delta modulation, and furthereliminates fractional spurs and associated phase noise.

FIG. 33 is a block diagram illustrating an exemplary or representativeembodiment of a second digital controller 135 for the secondreconfigurable, digital phase-locked loop 200, for generation of secondoutput signal having a second output frequency f_(OUT2) that is afractional offset or a fractional multiple of the reference frequencyf_(REF). The second digital controller 135 comprises a phase detector535, a digital loop filter 540, a divider 545, and a comparator (orsubtractor) 570. The phase detector 535, the digital loop filter 540,the divider 545, and the comparator (or subtractor) 570 may beimplemented as known or becomes known in the art. The second digitalcontroller 135 provides a novel circuit for generation of a fractionalmultiple of the reference frequency f_(REF) by using a comparator (orsubtractor) 570, which would not be typically utilized in a prior artfeedback loop, to introduce a new, second configurable error signal(650), illustrated as φ_(ERR2), to provide for the fractional locking bymanipulating the error signals in the feedback loop of the seconddigital controller 135. The second, configurable error signal φ_(ERR2)(650) is a user-selectable, digital configuration parameter which can beinput through the user interface controller 115 or input into memory120, and the value of the second error signal φ_(ERR2) (650) isproportional to the desired fractional offset or increment (“Δf”).Stated another way, any selected or desired fractional offset or afractional multiple can be mapped to or translated into a correspondingsecond error signal φ_(ERR2) (650).

More specifically, the phase detector 535 receives the first outputsignal having a first output frequency f_(OUT1) (from the firstreconfigurable frequency and delay generator 110 or from the LCoscillator 275) and generates a first error signal, illustrated asφ_(ERR1), which would typically be driven to zero as the desired outputfrequency is reached. Generally, the slope (first derivative) of thefirst error signal φ_(ERR1) represents the frequency error, thedifference between first output frequency f_(OUT1) and the second outputfrequency f_(OUT2). The second digital controller 135, however, usingcomparator (or subtractor) 570, combines the first error signalφ_(ERR1)with the new, second error signal φ_(ERR2) (650), to produceanother new, third error signal, illustrated as φ_(ERR3). As thefeedback loop of the second digital controller 135 operates, the thirderror signal φ_(ERR3) is also driven to zero, but in doing so, thesecond reconfigurable frequency and delay generator 140 will produce thesecond output signal having a second output frequency f_(OUT2) that is afractional offset or a fractional multiple of the reference frequencyf_(REF), i.e., f_(OUT2)=(M·f_(REF))+Δf, where Δf is some fractionaloffset or increment of the reference frequency f_(REF).

It should be noted that instead of using a second digital controller 135cascaded with the second reconfigurable frequency and delay generator140, another first digital controller 105 may be utilized and cascadedwith the second reconfigurable frequency and delay generator 140. Forsuch an embodiment, as mentioned above, the second error signal φ_(ERR2)(650) is also introduced, and using comparator (adder or subtractor) 240as illustrated in FIG. 4 (instead of comparator (or subtractor) 570),combined (subtracted from) with the difference (error) between thereference frequency count and the combined frequency and phase feedbackcount, to generate a new resulting error count (or error signal)provided to the programmable digital filter.

FIG. 34 is a block diagram illustrating an exemplary or representativeembodiment of a third digital controller 145 for the thirdreconfigurable, digital phase-locked loop 300. As the oscillator stages270 of the first and/or second reconfigurable frequency and delaygenerator 110, 140 in the third reconfigurable, digital phase-lockedloop 300 are implemented as a delay line (or delay locked loop) 190driven by the oscillation frequency of the LC oscillator 275, which isunder the control of the first digital controller 105, it will operateand also oscillate at the oscillation (resonant) frequency of the LCoscillator 275, f_(OUT). The third digital controller 145 is utilized tolock the delay line (or delay locked loop) 190 to the phase of theoutput signal having the output frequency f_(OUT) from the LC oscillator275, so that the phase information provided back to the first digitalcontroller 105 (as discussed above) is an accurate representation of thephase of the oscillation of the LC oscillator 275. As mentioned above,in a representative embodiment, another first digital controller 105 mayalso be substituted for the third digital controller 145.

In a representative embodiment, as illustrated in FIG. 34, the thirddigital controller 145 may be implemented as a binary encoder 630,coupled to an accumulator 585, which is coupled to a coefficientgenerator 625. The binary encoder 630 operates as previously describedfor binary encoder 205, receiving the position encoded phase informationfrom the second phase sampler 170 _(A) (clocked at the output frequencyf_(OUT) from either the LC oscillator 275 or the last oscillator stage270 _(N) of the delay line 190), and converting that phase informationinto binary phase information. On every clock edge (clocked at thereference frequency f_(REF)), the accumulator 585 adds (or subtracts)the binary value of the incoming phase information to its currently held(accumulated value), and further accumulates the result, tending toconverge toward a stable value as the sampled phases align with thephase of the oscillation of the LC oscillator 275.

In a first representative embodiment, the output of the accumulator 585is passed directly to the delay control circuits 160 of the first and/orsecond reconfigurable frequency and delay generator 110, 140, on line orbus 125 _(A). More specifically, the accumulated result is provided asone or more control words on a plurality of lines of a bus, each ofwhich is mapped to a corresponding circuit of the delay control circuits160, to couple or uncoupled a corresponding circuit of the delay controlcircuits 160 to a corresponding oscillator stage 270. As discussedabove, these control words (as control signals) select capacitancelevels, voltage levels, and so on, of the delay control circuits 160 ofthe oscillator stages 270 implemented as a delay line (or delay lockedloop) 190, to adjust the delays between the oscillator stages 270, sothe overall delay of the delay line (or delay locked loop) 190synchronizes to and aligns with the period of the oscillation of the LCoscillator 275, to further provide that the subsequent sampled phases(from first phase sampler 170 _(B)) accurately represent the phases ofthe oscillation of the LC oscillator 275. For example, the highersignificant bits (lines) of the control word (accumulated result)correspond to coarse tuning control words, such as to control theprimary switched capacitors 310; the middle significant bits (lines) ofthe control word (accumulated result) correspond to medium tuningcontrol words, such as to control the secondary switched digitalvaractors 315, and the lower significant bits (lines) of the controlword (accumulated result) correspond to fine tuning control words, suchas to control the voltage controllers 320.

For example, in a representative embodiment, in converting thepositional sampled phase information into binary encoding, the binaryencoder 630 also provides for the binary value to be positive ornegative. For example, for an eight stage delay line (or delay lockedloop) 190, the phase information of the first four stages may beassigned a positive binary value, while the phase information of thelast four stages may be assigned a negative binary value, with positivevalues indicating that the delay line (or delay locked loop) 190 is toofast, and negative values indicating that the delay line (or delaylocked loop) 190 is too slow. Over a number of cycles, and theaccumulated result will tend to converge or stabilize (or have verysmall oscillations) to or around a particular value, stabilizing theperiod of the delay line (or delay locked loop) 190.

Alternatively, in a second representative embodiment, the accumulatedphase results, in turn are converted (by coefficient generator 625,which may also be implemented as a processor, as described below) intothe various control coefficients of the control words (control signals)and other control parameters discussed above provided to the delaycontrol circuits 160 on line or bus 125 _(B), as discussed above, suchas to select capacitance levels, voltage levels, and so on, for theoscillator stages 270 implemented as a delay line (or delay locked loop)190, to adjust the delays between the oscillator stages 270, so theoverall delay of the delay line (or delay locked loop) 190 synchronizesto and aligns with the period of the oscillation of the LC oscillator275, also to further provide that the subsequent sampled phases (fromfirst phase sampler 170 _(B)) accurately represent the phases of theoscillation of the LC oscillator 275.

The present disclosure is to be considered as an exemplification of theprinciples of the invention and is not intended to limit the inventionto the specific embodiments illustrated. In this respect, it is to beunderstood that the invention is not limited in its application to thedetails of construction and to the arrangements of components set forthabove and below, illustrated in the drawings, or as described in theexamples. Systems, methods and apparatuses consistent with the presentinvention are capable of other embodiments and of being practiced andcarried out in various ways.

Although the invention has been described with respect to specificembodiments thereof, these embodiments are merely illustrative and notrestrictive of the invention. In the description herein, numerousspecific details are provided, such as examples of electroniccomponents, electronic and structural connections, materials, andstructural variations, to provide a thorough understanding ofembodiments of the present invention. One skilled in the relevant artwill recognize, however, that an embodiment of the invention can bepracticed without one or more of the specific details, or with otherapparatus, systems, assemblies, components, materials, parts, etc. Inother instances, well-known structures, materials, or operations are notspecifically shown or described in detail to avoid obscuring aspects ofembodiments of the present invention. In addition, the various Figuresare not drawn to scale and should not be regarded as limiting.

Reference throughout this specification to “one embodiment”, “anembodiment”, or a specific “embodiment” means that a particular feature,structure, or characteristic described in connection with the embodimentis included in at least one embodiment of the present invention and notnecessarily in all embodiments, and further, are not necessarilyreferring to the same embodiment. Furthermore, the particular features,structures, or characteristics of any specific embodiment of the presentinvention may be combined in any suitable manner and in any suitablecombination with one or more other embodiments, including the use ofselected features without corresponding use of other features. Inaddition, many modifications may be made to adapt a particularapplication, situation or material to the essential scope and spirit ofthe present invention. It is to be understood that other variations andmodifications of the embodiments of the present invention described andillustrated herein are possible in light of the teachings herein and areto be considered part of the spirit and scope of the present invention.

It will also be appreciated that one or more of the elements depicted inthe Figures can also be implemented in a more separate or integratedmanner, or even removed or rendered inoperable in certain cases, as maybe useful in accordance with a particular application.

Integrally formed combinations of components are also within the scopeof the invention, particularly for embodiments in which a separation orcombination of discrete components is unclear or indiscernible. Inaddition, use of the term “coupled” herein, including in its variousforms such as “coupling” or “couplable”, means and includes any director indirect electrical, structural or magnetic coupling, connection orattachment, or adaptation or capability for such a direct or indirectelectrical, structural or magnetic coupling, connection or attachment,including integrally formed components and components which are coupledvia or through another component.

A “controller” or “processor”, such as utilized with or as part of theuser interface controller 115 or the programmable digital filter 250,may be any type of controller or processor, and may be embodied as oneor more controllers or processors, configured, designed, programmed orotherwise adapted to perform the functionality discussed herein. As theterm controller or processor is used herein, a controller or processormay include use of a single integrated circuit (“IC”) orsystem-on-a-chip and integrated with the first, second and/or thirdreconfigurable, digital phase-locked loops 100, 200, 300, or may includeuse of a plurality of integrated circuits or other components connected,arranged or grouped together, such as controllers, microprocessors,digital signal processors (“DSPs”), parallel processors, multiple coreprocessors, custom ICs, application specific integrated circuits(“ASICs”), field programmable gate arrays (“FPGAs”), adaptive computingICs, associated memory (such as RAM, DRAM and ROM), and other ICs andcomponents, whether analog or digital. As a consequence, as used herein,the term controller (or processor) should be understood to equivalentlymean and include a single IC, or arrangement of custom ICs, ASICs,processors, microprocessors, controllers, FPGAs, adaptive computing ICs,or some other grouping of integrated circuits which perform thefunctions discussed below, with associated memory, such asmicroprocessor memory or additional RAM, DRAM, SDRAM, SRAM, MRAM, ROM,FLASH, EPROM or EPROM. A controller (or processor), with its associatedmemory, may be adapted or configured (via programming, FPGAinterconnection, or hard-wiring) to perform the methodology of theinvention, as discussed above. For example, the methodology may beprogrammed and stored, in a controller or processor with its associatedmemory (and/or memory 120, 120A) and other equivalent components, as aset of program instructions or other code (or equivalent configurationor other program) for subsequent execution when the processor isoperative (i.e., powered on and functioning). Equivalently, when thecontroller or processor may implemented in whole or part as FPGAs,custom ICs and/or ASICs, the FPGAs, custom ICs or ASICs also may bedesigned, configured and/or hard-wired to implement the methodology ofthe invention. For example, the controller or processor may beimplemented as an arrangement of analog and/or digital circuits,controllers, microprocessors, DSPs and/or ASICs, collectively referredto as a “controller”, which are respectively hard-wired, programmed,designed, adapted or configured to implement the methodology of theinvention, including possibly in conjunction with a memory 120, 120A.

The one or more memories 120, 120A, which may include a data repository(or database), may be embodied in any number of forms, including withinany computer or other machine-readable data storage medium, memorydevice or other storage or communication device for storage orcommunication of information, currently known or which becomes availablein the future, including, but not limited to, a memory integratedcircuit (“IC”), or memory portion of an integrated circuit (such as theresident memory within a controller or processor), whether volatile ornon-volatile, whether removable or non-removable, including withoutlimitation RAM, FLASH, DRAM, SDRAM, SRAM, MRAM, FeRAM, ROM, EPROM orEPROM, or any other form of memory device or other machine-readablestorage or memory media, which is known or which becomes known,depending upon the selected embodiment. The one or more memories 120,120A may be adapted to store various look up tables, parameters,coefficients, other information and data, programs or instructions (ofthe software of the present invention), and other types of tables suchas database tables.

As indicated above, the controller or processor is hard-wired orprogrammed, using software and data structures of the invention, forexample, to perform the methodology of the present invention. As aconsequence, the system and method of the present invention may beembodied as software which provides such programming or otherinstructions, such as a set of instructions and/or metadata embodiedwithin a non-transitory computer readable medium, discussed above. Inaddition, metadata may also be utilized to define the various datastructures of a look up table or a database. Such software may be in theform of source or object code, by way of example and without limitation.Source code further may be compiled into some form of instructions orobject code (including assembly language instructions or configurationinformation). The software, source code or metadata of the presentinvention may be embodied as any type of code, such as C, C++, SystemC,LISA, XML, Java, Brew, SQL and its variations (e.g., SQL 99 orproprietary versions of SQL), DB2, Oracle, or any other type ofprogramming language which performs the functionality discussed herein,including various hardware definition or hardware modeling languages(e.g., Verilog, VHDL, RTL) and resulting database files (e.g., GDSII).As a consequence, a “construct”, “program construct”, “softwareconstruct” or “software”, as used equivalently herein, means and refersto any programming language, of any kind, with any syntax or signatures,which provides or can be interpreted to provide the associatedfunctionality or methodology specified (when instantiated or loaded intoa processor or computer and executed, for example).

The software, metadata, or other source code of the present inventionand any resulting bit file (object code, database, or look up table) maybe embodied within any tangible, non-transitory storage medium, such asany of the computer or other machine-readable data storage media, ascomputer-readable instructions, data structures, program modules orother data, such as discussed above with respect to the one or morememories 120, 120A, or any other type of data storage apparatus ormedium, as mentioned above.

Furthermore, any signal arrows in the drawings/Figures should beconsidered only exemplary, and not limiting, unless otherwisespecifically noted. Combinations of components of steps will also beconsidered within the scope of the present invention, particularly wherethe ability to separate or combine is unclear or foreseeable. Thedisjunctive term “or”, as used herein and throughout the claims thatfollow, is generally intended to mean “and/or”, having both conjunctiveand disjunctive meanings (and is not confined to an “exclusive or”meaning), unless otherwise indicated. As used in the description hereinand throughout the claims that follow, “a”, “an”, and “the” includeplural references unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. Also asused in the description herein and throughout the claims that follow,the meaning of “in” includes “in” and “on” unless the context clearlydictates otherwise.

For the numbering of various components as first, second, third, and soon, such as for first, second and third digital controllers, suchnumbering depends on the context for the selected embodiment. Forexample and without limitation, in the third PLL 300 embodiment, when afirst digital controller 105 is utilized, but no second digitalcontroller 135 is utilized, then the third digital controller 145 may beconsidered a second digital controller 145 for this third

PLL 300 embodiment. Also for example and without limitation, in thefirst PLL 100 embodiment, when only one digital controller isimplemented, the first digital controller 105 may be referred to simplyas a “digital controller”, without any such numbering.

For the recitation of numeric ranges herein, each intervening numberthere between with the same degree of precision is explicitlycontemplated. For example, for the range of 6-9, the numbers 7 and 8 arecontemplated in addition to 6 and 9, and for the range 6.0-7.0, thenumber 6.0, 6.1, 6.2, 6.3, 6.4, 6.5, 6.6, 6.7, 6.8, 6.9, and 7.0 areexplicitly contemplated. In addition, every intervening sub-range withinrange is contemplated, in any combination, and is within the scope ofthe disclosure. For example, for the range of 5-10, the sub-ranges 5-6,5-7, 5-8, 5-9, 6-7, 6-8, 6-9, 6-10, 7-8, 7-9, 7-10, 8-9, 8-10, and 9-10are contemplated and within the scope of the disclosed range.

The foregoing description of illustrated embodiments of the presentinvention, including what is described in the summary or in theabstract, is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention tothe precise forms disclosed herein. From the foregoing, it will beobserved that numerous variations, modifications and substitutions areintended and may be effected without departing from the spirit and scopeof the novel concept of the invention. It is to be understood that nolimitation with respect to the specific methods and apparatusillustrated herein is intended or should be inferred. It is, of course,intended to cover by the appended claims all such modifications as fallwithin the scope of the claims.

It is claimed:
 1. A reconfigurable frequency and delay generator,comprising: a plurality of configurable oscillator stages, eachconfigurable oscillator stage of the plurality of configurableoscillator stages comprising: a plurality of core inverters coupled inseries, a last core inverter of the plurality of core invertersgenerating an output signal having a configurable output frequency; anda plurality of delay control circuits, each delay control circuit of theplurality of delay control circuits coupled to an output of acorresponding core inverter of the plurality of core inverters; and aphase sampler coupled to the plurality of configurable oscillatorstages.
 2. The reconfigurable frequency and delay generator of claim 1,further comprising: a memory storing a plurality of configurationparameters, at least one configuration parameter of the plurality ofconfiguration parameters specifying the output frequency.
 3. Thereconfigurable frequency and delay generator of claim 2, wherein theplurality of configurable oscillator stages are configurable to form aring oscillator circuit structure or a delay line circuit structure inresponse to the plurality of configuration parameters.
 4. Thereconfigurable frequency and delay generator of claim 2, furthercomprising: a plurality of switching circuits coupled to the pluralityof configurable oscillator stages to selectively configure the pluralityof configurable oscillator stages as a ring oscillator circuit structureand a delay line circuit structure in response to the plurality ofconfiguration parameters.
 5. The reconfigurable frequency and delaygenerator of claim 2, further comprising: a user interface controllercoupled to the memory, the user interface controller adapted to receiveuser input, convert the user input into the plurality of configurationparameters, and to write the plurality of configuration parameters tothe memory.
 6. The reconfigurable frequency and delay generator of claim2, wherein the plurality of configuration parameters further comprise atleast one configuration parameter selected from the group consisting of:bandwidth, frequency resolution, jitter level, power consumption,fractional frequencies, and combinations thereof
 7. The reconfigurablefrequency and delay generator of claim 1, wherein the reconfigurablefrequency and delay generator is configurable and reconfigurablepost-fabrication as an integrated circuit.
 8. The reconfigurablefrequency and delay generator of claim 1, wherein each core inverter ofthe plurality of core inverters comprises a plurality of invertershaving a differential inverter circuit structure comprising: first andsecond nonconfigurable inverters coupled in parallel; and third andfourth configurable inverters cross-coupled to outputs of the first andsecond nonconfigurable inverters.
 9. The reconfigurable frequency anddelay generator of claim 8, wherein each delay control circuit of theplurality of delay control circuits further comprises: a plurality ofswitchable frequency control inverters coupled in parallel with thefirst and second nonconfigurable inverters; a plurality of primaryswitched capacitors coupled to the outputs of the first and secondnonconfigurable inverters; a plurality of secondary switched digitalvaractors coupled to the outputs of the first and second nonconfigurableinverters; and a plurality of voltage controllers, each voltagecontroller of the plurality of voltage controllers coupled to provide aselected voltage to a corresponding secondary switched digital varactorof the plurality of secondary switched digital varactors.
 10. Thereconfigurable frequency and delay generator of claim 9, wherein theplurality of switchable frequency control inverters comprise a pluralityof transistors having a plurality of different sizes to provide acorresponding plurality of different delays.
 11. The reconfigurablefrequency and delay generator of claim 9, wherein the plurality ofswitchable frequency control inverters comprise a plurality oftransistors having a differential inverter circuit structure.
 12. Thereconfigurable frequency and delay generator of claim 9, wherein eachprimary switched capacitor of the plurality of primary switchedcapacitors comprises: a transmission gate; and a FET transistor havingits gate coupled to the transmission gate and further having its sourceand drain coupled to a ground potential.
 13. The reconfigurablefrequency and delay generator of claim 9, wherein each secondaryswitched digital varactor of the plurality of secondary switched digitalvaractors comprises: a transmission gate; and a FET transistor havingits gate coupled to the transmission gate and further having its sourceand drain coupled to the selected voltage.
 14. The reconfigurablefrequency and delay generator of claim 9, wherein each voltagecontroller of the plurality of voltage controllers comprises: aplurality of transistors coupled in series to form a voltage laddercircuit structure having a plurality of nodes, each node of theplurality of nodes having a different voltage; and a plurality oftransmission gates, each transmission gate of the plurality oftransmission gates coupled to a secondary switched digital varactor andto a selected node of the plurality of nodes to transmit the selectedvoltage to the secondary switched digital varactor in response to aplurality of control signals.
 15. The reconfigurable frequency and delaygenerator of claim 1, wherein the phase sampler comprises a plurality offlip-flops, each flip-flop input coupled to an output of a correspondingcore inverter of the plurality of core inverters, each flip-flop outputgenerating a single bit indicator of a position of the phase of theoutput signal along the plurality of configurable oscillator stages. 16.The reconfigurable frequency and delay generator of claim 1, furthercomprising: a phase interpolator coupled between the plurality ofconfigurable oscillator stages and the phase sampler.
 17. Thereconfigurable frequency and delay generator of claim 16, wherein thephase interpolator comprises at least one inverter tree coupled betweenand among the plurality of configurable oscillator stages, the at leastone inverter tree comprising: a first plurality of interpolatorinverters, the first plurality of interpolator inverters coupled to aplurality of outputs of the plurality of core inverters; and a secondplurality of interpolator inverters, the second plurality ofinterpolator inverters coupled to outputs of the first plurality ofinterpolator inverters to provide a plurality of phase interpolatoroutputs.
 18. The reconfigurable frequency and delay generator of claim16, wherein the phase interpolator comprises a plurality of configurableinterpolator stages, the plurality of configurable interpolator stagescomprising: a first interpolator stage; a first multiplexer coupled tothe first interpolator stage, the first multiplexer comprising a firstplurality of switches to selectively couple the first interpolator stageto the plurality of configurable oscillator stages in response to aconfiguration parameter; a second interpolator stage; and a secondmultiplexer coupled to the second interpolator stage, the secondmultiplexer comprising a second plurality of switches to selectivelycouple the second interpolator stage to the first interpolator stage inresponse to a configuration parameter.
 19. The reconfigurable frequencyand delay generator of claim 1, further comprising: a plurality ofswitching circuits coupled to the plurality of configurable oscillatorstages to select a predetermined number of configurable oscillatorstages of the plurality of configurable oscillator stages and configurethe predetermined number of configurable oscillator stages as a ringoscillator circuit structure and a delay line circuit structure inresponse to a plurality of configuration parameters.
 20. Areconfigurable frequency and delay generator, comprising: a memorystoring a plurality of configuration parameters, at least oneconfiguration parameter of the plurality of configuration parametersspecifying an output frequency; a plurality of configurable oscillatorstages, each configurable oscillator stage of the plurality ofconfigurable oscillator stages comprising: a plurality of core inverterscoupled in series, a last core inverter of the plurality of coreinverters generating an output signal having the output frequency; and aplurality of delay control circuits, each delay control circuit of theplurality of delay control circuits coupled to an output of acorresponding core inverter of the plurality of core inverters; a phasesampler coupled to the plurality of configurable oscillator stages; anda plurality of switching circuits coupled to the plurality ofconfigurable oscillator stages to selectively configure the plurality ofconfigurable oscillator stages as a ring oscillator circuit structureand a delay line circuit structure in response to the plurality ofconfiguration parameters.
 21. The reconfigurable frequency and delaygenerator of claim 20, wherein each core inverter of the plurality ofcore inverters comprises a plurality of inverters having a differentialinverter circuit structure comprising: first and second nonconfigurableinverters coupled in parallel; and third and fourth configurableinverters cross-coupled to the outputs of the first and secondnonconfigurable inverters.
 22. The reconfigurable frequency and delaygenerator of claim 21, wherein each delay control circuit of theplurality of delay control circuits further comprises: a plurality ofswitchable frequency control inverters coupled in parallel with thefirst and second nonconfigurable inverters; a plurality of primaryswitched capacitors coupled to the outputs of the first and secondnonconfigurable inverters; a plurality of secondary switched digitalvaractors coupled to the outputs of the first and second nonconfigurableinverters; and a plurality of voltage controllers, each voltagecontroller of the plurality of voltage controllers coupled to provide aselected voltage to a corresponding secondary switched digital varactorof the plurality of secondary switched digital varactors.
 23. Thereconfigurable frequency and delay generator of claim 22, wherein eachprimary switched capacitor of the plurality of primary switchedcapacitors comprises: a transmission gate; and to a FET transistorhaving its gate coupled to the transmission gate and further having itssource and drain coupled to a ground potential.
 24. The reconfigurablefrequency and delay generator of claim 23, wherein each secondaryswitched digital varactor of the plurality of secondary switched digitalvaractors comprises: a transmission gate; and a FET transistor havingits gate coupled to the transmission gate and further having its sourceand drain coupled to the selected voltage.
 25. The reconfigurablefrequency and delay generator of claim 22, wherein each voltagecontroller of the plurality of voltage controllers comprises: aplurality of transistors coupled in series to form a voltage laddercircuit structure having a plurality of nodes, each node of theplurality of nodes having a different voltage; and a plurality oftransmission gates, each transmission gate of the plurality oftransmission gates coupled to a secondary switched digital varactor andto a selected node of the plurality of nodes to transmit the selectedvoltage to the secondary switched digital varactor in response to aplurality of control signals.
 26. The reconfigurable frequency and delaygenerator of claim 20, further comprising: a phase interpolator coupledbetween the plurality of configurable oscillator stages and the phasesampler, the phase interpolator comprising: a first plurality ofinterpolator inverters, the first plurality of interpolator inverterscoupled to a plurality of outputs of the plurality of core inverters;and a second plurality of interpolator inverters, the second pluralityof interpolator inverters coupled to outputs of the first plurality ofinterpolator inverters to provide a plurality of phase interpolatoroutputs.
 27. The reconfigurable frequency and delay generator of claim20, wherein the plurality of core inverters further comprise a pluralityof switched inverters to select a predetermined number of configurableoscillator stages of the plurality of configurable oscillator stages;and wherein the reconfigurable frequency and delay generator furthercomprises: a plurality of switching circuits coupled to the plurality ofconfigurable oscillator stages to configure the predetermined number ofconfigurable oscillator stages as a ring oscillator circuit structureand a delay line circuit structure in response to a plurality ofconfiguration parameters.
 28. A reconfigurable frequency and delaygenerator, comprising: a plurality of configurable oscillator stages,each configurable oscillator stage of the plurality of configurableoscillator stages comprising: a plurality of core inverters coupled inseries, a last core inverter of the plurality of core invertersgenerating an output signal having a configurable output frequency, eachcore inverter of the plurality of core inverters comprising: first andsecond nonconfigurable inverters coupled in parallel; and third andfourth configurable inverters cross-coupled to outputs of the first andsecond nonconfigurable inverters; and a plurality of delay controlcircuits, each delay control circuit of the plurality of delay controlcircuits coupled to an output of a corresponding core inverter of theplurality of core inverters, each delay control circuit of the pluralityof delay control circuits comprising: a plurality of switchablefrequency control inverters coupled in parallel with the first andsecond nonconfigurable inverters; a plurality of primary switchedcapacitors coupled to the outputs of the first and secondnonconfigurable inverters; a plurality of secondary switched digitalvaractors coupled to the outputs of the first and second nonconfigurableinverters; and a plurality of voltage controllers, each voltagecontroller of the plurality of voltage controllers coupled to provide aselected voltage to a corresponding secondary switched digital varactorof the plurality of secondary switched digital varactors.